Vulnerability and ethical issues faced by general practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: some reflections and lessons learned

Federico Nicoli; Giovanna Floridia; Ignazio Grattagliano; Donato Greco; Pierantonio Muzzetto; Carlo Petrini

doi:10.1071/HC20138

Vulnerability and ethical issues faced by general practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: some reflections and lessons learned

J Prim Health Care. 2021 Jun;13(2):102-105. doi: 10.1071/HC20138.

Authors

Federico Nicoli¹, Giovanna Floridia², Ignazio Grattagliano³, Donato Greco⁴, Pierantonio Muzzetto⁵, Carlo Petrini⁶

Affiliations

¹ Center for Clinical Ethics, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Department, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy; Clinical Ethics Service, Domus Salutis Clinic, Teresa Camplani Foundation, Brescia, Italy.
² Bioethics Unit, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy; and Corresponding author. Email: giovanna.floridia@iss.it.
³ Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy and Family Medicine, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
⁴ Former General Direction of Prevention, Ministry of Health, Rome, Italy.
⁵ Deontological Committee of National Federation of Orders of Surgeons and Dentists; University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
⁶ Bioethics Unit, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 34620289
DOI: 10.1071/HC20138

Abstract

Vulnerability during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an emotional state that affects all of us globally. The Italian experience shows that our general practitioners (GPs) seem to have a higher rate of death due to COVID-19 infection than other physicians.

MeSH terms

COVID-19 / epidemiology
COVID-19 / psychology*
General Practitioners / psychology*
Humans
Italy / epidemiology
Occupational Exposure
Pandemics*
Risk