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Pokoski OM, Crain H, DiGuiseppi C, Furnier SM, Moody EJ, Nadler C, Pazol K, Sanders J, Wiggins LD, Durkin MS. Economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1342504. [PMID: 38419902 PMCID: PMC10899320 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1342504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background To control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many jurisdictions throughout the world enacted public health measures that had vast socio-economic implications. In emergency situations, families of children with developmental disabilities (DDs), including autism, may experience increased difficulty accessing therapies, economic hardship, and caregiver stress, with the potential to exacerbate autism symptoms. Yet, limited research exists on the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families of children with autism or another DD compared to families of children from the general population. Objectives To assess impact of the COVID-19 pandemic related to parental employment and economic difficulties in families of children with autism, another DD, and in the general population, considering potential modification by socioeconomic disadvantage before the pandemic and levels of child behavioral and emotional problems. Methods The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is a multi-site, multi-phase, case-control study of young children with autism or another DD as compared to a population comparison group (POP). During January-July 2021, a COVID-19 Impact Assessment Questionnaire was sent to eligible participants (n=1,789) who had enrolled in SEED Phase 3 from September 2017-March 2020. Parents completed a questionnaire on impacts of the pandemic in 2020 and completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to measure behavioral and emotional health of their child during this time. Multiple logistic regression models were built for employment reduction, increased remote work, difficulty paying bills, or fear of losing their home. Covariates include group status (autism, DD, POP), household income at enrollment, child's race and ethnicity, and binary CBCL Total Problems T-score (<60 vs. ≥60). Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results The study included 274 children with autism, 368 children with another DD, and 385 POP children. The mean age of 6.1 years (standard deviation, 0.8) at the COVID-19 Impact Assessment did not differ between study groups. Parents of children with autism were less likely to transition to remote work (aOR [95% CI] = 0.6 [0.4, 1.0]) and more likely to report difficulty paying bills during the pandemic (1.8 [1.2, 2.9]) relative to parents of POP children. Lower income was associated with greater employment reduction, difficulty paying bills, and fear of losing their home, but inversely associated with transitioning to remote work. Parents of non-Hispanic (NH) Black children experienced greater employment reduction compared to parents of NH White children (1.9 [1.1, 3.0]). Parents from racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to experience difficulty paying bills and fear losing their home, relative to NH White parents. Caregivers of children with CBCL scores in the clinical range were more likely to fear losing their home (2.1 [1.3, 3.4]). Conclusion These findings suggest that families of children with autism, families of lower socio-economic status, and families of racial and ethnic minority groups experienced fewer work flexibilities and greater financial distress during the pandemic. Future research can be used to assess if these impacts are sustained over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M. Pokoski
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Hayley Crain
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Carolyn DiGuiseppi
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Sarah M. Furnier
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Eric J. Moody
- Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Cy Nadler
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Health, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Karen Pazol
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jessica Sanders
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Lisa D. Wiggins
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Maureen S. Durkin
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Lopes MS, Gomes C. How did the COVID-19 pandemic influence students' career expectations in the hotel and tourism industry? J Hosp Leis Sport Tour Educ 2023; 32:100436. [PMID: 37124877 PMCID: PMC10119630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhlste.2023.100436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Career expectations contribute to job satisfaction and worker persistence. The tourism industry is characterized by high staff turnover. The industry was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic causing widespread unemployment and transforming working conditions, while radically altering educational conditions for hospitality and tourism students. We assessed how the pandemic influenced students' expectations, comparing undergraduate opinions before and during the pandemic. While Pandemic-Students were more pessimistic about working conditions, they revealed an increased desire to provide personal interactive service and a greater tendency towards entrepreneurialism. These results contrast with previous research; highlighting students' resilience and suggesting a positive vision of pandemic-related opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sofia Lopes
- CiTUR - Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation - Polytechnic of Leiria, Portugal
| | - Conceição Gomes
- CiTUR - Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation - Polytechnic of Leiria, Portugal
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