This cross-sectional study with a retrospective assessment explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and sleep of Italian nurses and medical doctors. 287 healthcare workers (212 nurses, 75 physicians) completed a web survey comparing pre-pandemic and current (February-June 2022) conditions. Nurses reported greater distress than physicians. Multivariate analysis showed that while both groups were negatively impacted, nurses experienced greater worsening in psychological and sleep symptoms, with frontline work exacerbating this for nurses. Personal COVID-19 experiences significantly predicted current health status. Preventive programs are urgently needed to enhance coping skills and address sleep issues among healthcare workers, especially high-risk professionals.

Gwen Brachman, Antoon De Schryver, William Buchta, Acran Salmen-Navarro, Valentina Alfonsi, Serena Scarpelli, Maurizio Gorgoni, Alessandro Couyoumdjian, Francesco Rosiello, Cinzia Sandroni, Roberto Corsi, Filomena Pietrantonio, Luigi De Gennaro