1
|
Abe C, Shimatani K, Tsumura K, Takaguchi K, Nakayama Y, Hayashi T, Mori C, Suzuki N. Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of primary schoolchildren during the later phase of the pandemic: A case report of an 18-month longitudinal survey in a Japanese primary school. PUBLIC HEALTH IN PRACTICE 2024; 7:100471. [PMID: 38328526 PMCID: PMC10847696 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2024.100471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Drastic changes such as school closures and stay-at-home measures due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, may have long-term negative effects on children's mental health; however, longitudinal studies after 2021 are limited. This study aimed to observe the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's mental health by exploring changes in their mental health over a period of 18 months. Study design We conducted a longitudinal study at Chiba Prefecture in Japan, focusing on schoolchildren's mental health changes. Methods Data were obtained from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) questionnaire conducted at single primary school three times from October 2021 to March 2023 which and included 183 participants. This study adopted a linear-mixed model to evaluate changes in children's SDQ scores, with sex and grade as the independent variables, and participants as a random effect. Results Regarding changes in SDQ scores, there were no significant changes in the total difficulty scores or in each subscale; Emotional Symptoms, Conduct Problems, Hyperactivity/Inattention, Peer Problems, and Prosocial Behavior. There was no statistically significant interaction between changes in SDQ scores and sex. Conclusions This report indicates that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Japanese primary schoolchildren was negligible in the later phase of the pandemic. However, the impact may differ from country to country owing to factors such as social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C. Abe
- Department of Architecture, Division of Creative Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - K. Shimatani
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - K. Tsumura
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - K. Takaguchi
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Y. Nakayama
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - T. Hayashi
- Department of Architecture and Urban Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - C. Mori
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
- Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - N. Suzuki
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dewald F, Steger G, Fish I, Torre-Lage I, Hellriegel C, Milz E, Kolb-Bastigkeit A, Heger E, Fries M, Buess M, Marizy N, Michaelis B, Suárez I, Rubio Quintanares GH, Pirkl M, Aigner A, Oberste M, Hellmich M, Wong A, Orduz JC, Fätkenheuer G, Dötsch J, Kossow A, Moench EM, Quade G, Neumann U, Kaiser R, Schranz M, Klein F. SARS-CoV-2 Test-to-Stay in Daycare. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023064668. [PMID: 38596855 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-064668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Test-to-stay concepts apply serial testing of children in daycare after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 without use of quarantine. This study aims to assess the safety of a test-to-stay screening in daycare facilities. METHODS 714 daycare facilities and approximately 50 000 children ≤6 years in Cologne, Germany participated in a SARS-CoV-2 Pool-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening from March 2021 to April 2022. The screening initially comprised post-exposure quarantine and was adapted to a test-to-stay approach during its course. To assess safety of the test-to-stay approach, we explored potential changes in frequencies of infections among children after the adaptation to the test-to-stay approach by applying regression discontinuity in time (RDiT) analyses. To this end, PCR-test data were linked with routinely collected data on reported infections in children and analyzed using ordinary least squares regressions. RESULTS 219 885 Pool-PCRs and 352 305 Single-PCRs were performed. 6440 (2.93%) Pool-PCRs tested positive, and 17 208 infections in children were reported. We estimated that during a period of 30 weeks, the test-to-stay concept avoided between 7 and 20 days of quarantine per eligible daycare child. RDiT revealed a 26% reduction (Exp. Coef: 0.74, confidence interval 0.52-1.06) in infection frequency among children and indicated no significant increase attributable to the test-to-stay approach. This result was not sensitive to adjustments for 7-day incidence, season, SARS-CoV-2 variant, and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses provide evidence that suggest safety of the test-to-stay approach compared with quarantine measures. This approach offers a promising option to avoid use of quarantine after exposure to respiratory pathogens in daycare settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Dewald
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Public Health, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gertrud Steger
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
| | - Irina Fish
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
| | - Ivonne Torre-Lage
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
| | | | - Esther Milz
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
| | | | - Eva Heger
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
| | - Mira Fries
- Health department of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Isabelle Suárez
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne
| | | | - Martin Pirkl
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
| | - Annette Aigner
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Max Oberste
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne
| | - Martin Hellmich
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne
| | - Anabelle Wong
- Institute of Public Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Gerd Fätkenheuer
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne
| | - Jörg Dötsch
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Annelene Kossow
- Health department of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Gustav Quade
- MVZ Labor Dr. Quade and Kollegen GmbH, Cologne, Germany
| | - Udo Neumann
- Youth Welfare Office of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rolf Kaiser
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Madlen Schranz
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Public Health, Berlin, Germany
- Robert Koch Institute, Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Klein
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhao J, Kobayashi T, Haryu E. Impact of talker variability on language development in two-year-olds. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2024:1-23. [PMID: 38466313 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000924000084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
This research investigated the impact of the number of talkers with whom children engage in daily conversation on their language development. Two surveys were conducted in 2020, targeting two-year-olds growing up in Japanese monolingual families. Caregivers reported the number of talkers in three age groups and children's productive vocabulary via questionnaires. The results demonstrated significant effects of variability in talkers in fifth grade or above in Study 1 (N = 50; male = 23; r = .372) and in adult talkers in Study 2 (N = 175; non-nursery going; male = 76; r = .184) on children's vocabulary development, after controlling for language exposure time and demographic variables. Possible mediating factors are discussed. This research extends previous findings from immigrant bilingual children to monolingual speakers in Japan, suggesting the potential contribution of available talkers other than caregivers in conversational environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo
| | - Tessei Kobayashi
- Innovative Communication Laboratory, NTT Communication Science Laboratories
| | - Etsuko Haryu
- Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Anand P, Patil RS, Puri P, Patil S. The Psychosocial Effects of Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children in 2021. Cureus 2024; 16:e53614. [PMID: 38449990 PMCID: PMC10916525 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.53614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic led to a nationwide lockdown that isolated numerous children and adolescents, significantly affecting their mental well-being. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the challenges faced by children during the pandemic and identify the potential contributing factors. Additionally, given the existing concerns surrounding the mental health of female children and adolescents, our study aimed to investigate the presence of sex-based disparities in children's observed emotional and behavioral difficulties during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods Participants in this study were parents of children aged 6-17 years. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted through verbal administration of a validated semi-structured questionnaire, the Parent Report Measure, from June 2021 to August 2021 at a nearby community health center. The questionnaire collected socio-demographic details and utilized the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a screening tool to assess children's emotional and behavioral aspects during the six-month lockdown period. The responses were then analyzed using appropriate statistical tools like SPSS statistics, and cumulative SDQ scores were used to categorize participants. Results Out of the total 280 responses analyzed, the prosocial subscale exhibited the highest number of abnormal responses, 73 (26.1%), followed by conduct (42; 15%), hyperactivity (41; 14.6%), and peer (41; 14.6%) subscales. These results indicated that children displayed decreased empathy towards others, restlessness, fidgetiness, reduced attention span, frequent tantrums, and a preference for solitary activities. Furthermore, there was a significant association between abnormal subscale scores and the sex of children. Females showed a considerably higher prevalence of emotional problems (172; 61.5%) than males. Among the behavioral responses, a more significant proportion of females displayed abnormal scores in the conduct subscale (170; 60.7%), while abnormal hyperactivity scores were more frequently observed among males (178; 63.4%). Regarding the peer problems subscale, the proportion of females was slightly higher than males (150; 53.7%) and nearly equal in the prosocial domain. A more significant proportion of females displayed abnormal scores for overall difficulties 144 (51.5%), indicating a notable sex-based disparity. Conclusion Our findings highlight the pandemic's significant impact on many children's psychological well-being. The results emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the mental health concerns that arose in this population. The observed disparity in emotional and behavioral difficulties among female children is particularly concerning, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive support and care. Various strategies can be helpful, such as virtual support groups, indoor recreational activities, reduced screen time and excessive news consumption, and effective communication with parents. Furthermore, our study also indicates the need to dive deep into such areas of pediatric research to understand and plan timely interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Puneet Anand
- Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst Hospital Center, New York City, USA
| | - Rutuja S Patil
- Medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College Pune, Pune, IND
| | - Piyush Puri
- Internal Medicine, Adesh Institute of Medical Science and Research, Bathinda, IND
| | - Sanjivani Patil
- Community Medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College, Pune, IND
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Orban E, Li LY, Gilbert M, Napp AK, Kaman A, Topf S, Boecker M, Devine J, Reiß F, Wendel F, Jung-Sievers C, Ernst VS, Franze M, Möhler E, Breitinger E, Bender S, Ravens-Sieberer U. Mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1275917. [PMID: 38259801 PMCID: PMC10800626 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1275917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of children and families, i.e., due to measures like social distancing and remote schooling. While previous research has shown negative effects on mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), most studies have focused on pre-post comparisons in the early pandemic stages. This systematic review aims to examine longitudinal studies to understand the long-term impacts of the pandemic on children and adolescents. Methods This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and was preregistered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews (Record ID: CRD42022336930). We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, and the WHO-COVID-19 database and included studies published up to August 30, 2022. Based on pre-defined eligibility criteria, longitudinal and prospective studies that assessed the mental health or quality of life of children or adolescents (0-19 years) in the general population over a longer time span (at two or more measurement points) during the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the review. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) checklist. Narrative data synthesis was used to summarize the findings. Results A total of 5,099 results were obtained from literature searches, with 4,935 excluded during title/abstract screening. After reviewing 163 full-text articles, 24 publications were included in the review. Sample sizes ranged between n = 86 and n = 34,038. The length of the investigated time periods and the number of assessment points, as well as outcomes, varied. The majority of studies were of moderate methodological quality. Mental health outcomes were more frequently studied compared to measures of HRQoL. The findings from these studies mostly suggest that children and adolescents experienced heightened mental health problems, specifically internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression. Further, there was a decline in their overall HRQoL over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic that did not necessarily subside when lockdowns ended. Conclusion It is crucial to continue monitoring the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents following the pandemic to identify groups at risks and plan interventions. This should ideally be conducted by large systematic studies, using validated instruments, and encompassing representative samples to obtain reliable and comprehensive insights with the aim of improving youth mental health care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ester Orban
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lydia Yao Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martha Gilbert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Napp
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anne Kaman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Topf
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maren Boecker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Neuropsychology Section, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Janine Devine
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Reiß
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Flora Wendel
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Jung-Sievers
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Sophie Ernst
- Institute for Community Medicine, Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marco Franze
- Institute for Community Medicine, Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Eva Möhler
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Eva Breitinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stephan Bender
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yamamoto N, Ohigashi S, Todo N, Moriguchi Y. The Relationship Between Hostile Intent Attribution and Aggression in Japanese Children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023:10.1007/s10578-023-01623-9. [PMID: 37950841 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-023-01623-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies showed that hostile intent attribution (HIA) was significantly correlated with and contributed to the development of aggression in children. Studies that directly examined the factors that explained the relationship between HIA and aggression are lacking. Hence, this study investigated (a) the correlation between HIA and aggression and (b) the variables (hyperactivity, prosociality, and collaborative problem-solving) that mediated the relationship between HIA and aggression in Japanese children aged 4-9 years. The participants were 180 children and their caregivers. First, the caregivers reported their children's aggression, hyperactivity, prosociality, and collaborative problem-solving through questionnaires. Next, the children worked on an HIA task. The results showed a weak positive correlation between HIA and aggression. Furthermore, significant indirect effects were observed among all the mediation models. The model that contained all three mediators yielded the smallest Akaike Information Criterion value. In this model, the indirect effect was significant only for the path with hyperactivity as the mediator. These findings provide several suggestions for revealing the mechanism of the relationship between HIA and aggression during childhood. Notably, children's hyperactivity was suggested to play a particularly important role in the relationship between HIA and aggression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sho Ohigashi
- Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naoya Todo
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pudpong N, Julchoo S, Sinam P, Uansri S, Kunpeuk W, Suphanchaimat R. Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression among Parents of Primary School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand, 2022. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20095622. [PMID: 37174142 PMCID: PMC10178323 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20095622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
One significant concern during the COVID-19 pandemic is parents' mental health, which may consequently affect children's health and well-being. The objective of this study is to investigate generalized anxiety and depression in parents of primary-school-aged children and identify risk factors for mental health problems. A cross-sectional survey comprising 701 parents of primary school children in five of Thailand's major provinces was carried out from January to March 2022. Generalized anxiety and depression levels were assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Logistic regression was performed to determine the effects of independent variables on anxiety and depression. Results showed that the prevalence of generalized anxiety and depression was 42.7% and 28.5%, respectively, among Thai parents. Three strong associative factors included: (1) having a youngest child with mental health problems; (2) not assisting their children every day; and (3) drinking alcohol. These findings show that the parents must deal with several difficulties when trying to maintain work and parenting duties while being confined at home during emergency situations. The government should provide sufficient assistance to parents who lack skills in handling children with emotional and behavioral problems. Meanwhile, health promotion to reduce alcohol consumption should continue to be an area of focus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nareerut Pudpong
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Sataporn Julchoo
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Pigunkaew Sinam
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Sonvanee Uansri
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Watinee Kunpeuk
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Rapeepong Suphanchaimat
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kästner A, Ernst VS, Hoffmann W, Franze M. Changes in social behavioral developmental risks in preschool children after the first COVID-19 wave: a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5615. [PMID: 37024603 PMCID: PMC10078017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32877-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social-emotional developmental risks (SE-DR) of preschool children is largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this prospective longitudinal dynamic cohort study was to assess changes in preschoolers' SE-DR from before the pandemic to after the first COVID-19 wave. SE-DR were assessed annually with the instrument "Dortmund Developmental Screening for Preschools" (DESK). Longitudinal DESK data from 3- to 4-year-old children who participated both in survey wave (SW) three (DESK-SW3, 2019) and SW four (DESK-SW4, 2020) from August 1 to November 30 were used, respectively. Additionally, data from previous pre-pandemic SW were analyzed to contextualize the observed changes (SW1: 2017; SW2: 2018). A total of N = 786 children were included in the analysis. In the pre-pandemic DESK-SW3, the proportion of children with SE-DR was 18.2%, whereas in DESK-SW4 after the first COVID-19 wave, the proportion decreased to 12.4% (p = 0.001). Thus, the prevalence rate ratio (PRR) was 0.68. Compared to data from previous SW (SW1-SW2: PRR = 0.88; SW2-SW3: PRR = 0.82), this result represents a notable improvement. However, only short-term effects were described, and the study region had one of the highest preschool return rates in Germany. Further studies are needed to examine long-term effects of the pandemic on preschoolers' SE-DR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anika Kästner
- Institute for Community Medicine, Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr. 1-2, 17487, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Vanessa Sophie Ernst
- Institute for Community Medicine, Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr. 1-2, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoffmann
- Institute for Community Medicine, Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr. 1-2, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marco Franze
- Institute for Community Medicine, Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr. 1-2, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pudpong N, Julchoo S, Sinam P, Uansri S, Kunpeuk W, Suphanchaimat R. Family Health among Families with Primary School Children during the COVID Pandemic in Thailand, 2022. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15001. [PMID: 36429719 PMCID: PMC9690226 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite evidence suggesting that the COVID pandemic has negatively affected the mental health and well-being of school aged children and parents, there are limited studies describing the state of family well-being. This study aimed to use the family health lens to assess the well-being of Thai families with primary school children and to identify its associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during January and March 2022, a period of school closure when onsite education was replaced by online education from time to time. The family health scale (FHS) questionnaire survey was carried out among 701 parents of Thai families with primary school children. The questionnaire comprised 10 questions regarding family belief, health, relationships, financial security, and housing environment. Independent variables included: (1) parental/household factors; (2) online learning related issues; (3) children's mental health; and (4) parents' health behaviors. Multinomial logistic regression was undertaken. Results showed that half of Thai families (54.6%) reported having moderate health status. Factors that were associated with lower levels of family health, such as poor or moderate levels, included families with a child that had mental health problems (adjusted odd ratio (AOR) = 5.0 [95% CI = 2.6-9.5] for poor v. excellent, and AOR = 2.7 [95% CI = 1.9-4.0] for moderate v. excellent), single parents (AOR = 2.5 [95% CI = 1.2-5.2] for poor v. excellent), a higher number (≥3) of children (AOR = 2.1 [95% CI = 1.0-4.0] for moderate v. excellent), and smoking parents (AOR = 6.5 [95% CI =1.2-34.8] for poor v. excellent). During health emergencies, health policy for providing adequate assistance to single parents, especially those that have a child with mental health problems, is of utmost importance. The design of health promotion activities and interventions should be targeted not only at single families, but also families with higher numbers of children and parents who smoke at home.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sataporn Julchoo
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Pigunkaew Sinam
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Sonvanee Uansri
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Watinee Kunpeuk
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| | - Rapeepong Suphanchaimat
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
- Department of Disease Control, Division of Epidemiology, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
This review provides updates on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children in Japan by summarizing published data. By the end of March 2022, Japan had experienced 6 waves of COVID-19 outbreaks. Over this time, the clinical features presented among children have changed in the context of the predominant variants. Although the COVID-19 pandemic affected children in terms of medical, physical and psychosocial aspects, the clinical outcomes have been favorable in Japan compared with those in some European countries and the United States, which may be partly due to a lower incidence of multisystem inflammatory syndromes in children and obesity. The COVID-19 vaccine has been available for children; however, the vaccination rate in children 5-11 years of age is lower than that in older children due to the government's lack of an active approach in this specific population. Further action is needed to improve the overall vaccination rates in children.
Collapse
|
11
|
Yamamoto T, Tanaka S, Yoshizaki A, Yoshimura Y, Fauzi AA, Syarinaz A, Adlan A, Jayanath S, Hamzah N, Fujino H, Tachibana M. Relationship between children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their caregivers and friends during early phase of COVID-19 school closure in Japan: Association with difficulty in implementing infection prevention measures. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:78. [PMID: 36207734 PMCID: PMC9542459 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00513-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the COVID-19 pandemic people had to implement various infection prevention measures. Researchers have reported the difficulties experienced by children with neurodevelopmental disorders in implementing these measures and their caregivers' resultant anxiety and stress. This study examined the relationship between these difficulties and the deterioration of the children's relationships with their caregivers and friends during school closure and after school reopened. METHODS A total of 150 caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders answered a questionnaire asking about parent‒child relationships, their child's friendships, and the presence or absence of difficulty in implementing infection prevention measures at three time points: before the pandemic, while schools were closed, and after school reopened. The frequency and percentages of the child's behavioral problems, deterioration in their relationships, and difficulty implementing infection control measures were calculated. Using the relationship deterioration scores, independent and multiple regression analyses were performed for the presence or absence of difficulty implementing infection control measures, presence or absence of caregivers' mental health concerns, and the presence or absence of deterioration of one or more problematic behaviors. RESULTS Overall, 84.1% of the children displayed difficulties implementing infection prevention measures. No relationship was observed between difficulty with infection prevention measures and deterioration in their relationships with parents and friends when schools were closed. After school reopened, however, deterioration in parent‒child relationships correlated positively with difficulty in hand-washing, and deterioration of friendships correlated positively with the maintenance of social distancing and difficulty in hand-washing. Deterioration of friendships correlated negatively with difficulty in voluntarily complying with stay-at-home requests. CONCLUSION Difficulty in implementing infection prevention measures was related to deterioration in social relationships with parents and friends of children with neurodevelopmental disorders during the school reopening period, following COVID-19 school closure in Japan. Under a condition requiring heightened infection control, close monitoring may be necessary for the social relationships in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomoka Yamamoto
- Molecular research center for child development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, 565-0871, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Sanae Tanaka
- grid.9707.90000 0001 2308 3329Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640 Kanazawa, Ishikawa Japan
| | - Arika Yoshizaki
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Molecular research center for child development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, 565-0871 Suita, Osaka Japan
| | - Yuko Yoshimura
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Molecular research center for child development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, 565-0871 Suita, Osaka Japan
| | - Aishah Ahmad Fauzi
- grid.10347.310000 0001 2308 5949Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Aida Syarinaz
- grid.10347.310000 0001 2308 5949Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Adlan
- grid.10347.310000 0001 2308 5949Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Subhashini Jayanath
- grid.10347.310000 0001 2308 5949Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Norhamizan Hamzah
- grid.10347.310000 0001 2308 5949Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Haruo Fujino
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971 United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University , 2-2 Yamadaoka, 565-0871 Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Tachibana
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Molecular research center for child development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, 565-0871 Suita, Osaka Japan
| |
Collapse
|