背景:COVID-19大流行极大地破坏了社会行为和规范。人们不得不应对新情况,包括对自由流动的限制,家庭禁闭,学校关闭,在其他人中。由于物理类的范围较小,在大流行期间和之后,在线课程变得普遍。虚拟学习平台不能取代通常在学校环境中发生的儿童的社会学习和准备。这一流行病对儿童产生了多方面的影响,扰乱他们的日常工作,社会生活,和心理健康。这种不确定的情况必然会干扰他们的情绪健康,带来长期后果。必须筛查儿童大流行状况的影响,以便及时采取行动。
方法:在Puducherry的农村和城市地区进行了横断面调查,印度,在2022年2月至4月之间,接近大流行的结束。对621名6-17岁儿童的照顾者进行了面对面访谈。细节,如社会人口统计,个人,收集了孩子的行为方面。使用父母(照顾者)版本的优势和困难问卷-25(SDQ-25)评估大流行期间的情绪和行为困难。使用卡方检验进行单变量分析。拟合了四个不同的回归模型,以确定影响总体难度得分的因素以及SDQ分量表,即,内化,外部化,和亲社会分数。<0.05的P值被认为是显著的。
结果:总体而言,根据SDQ评分,101名(16.3%)6-17岁的儿童可能有情绪和行为困难。异常外部化,内化,亲社会得分记录在160人中(25.8%),258(41.5%),和285名(45.9%)儿童,分别。看护者报告说他们孩子的学习成绩中断(426,68.6%),睡眠模式(269,43.3%),和饮食习惯(256,41.2%)。据报道,97名(35.9%)儿童将数字设备用于非教育目的。年轻的照顾者(18-45岁),每天使用数码设备超过2小时的儿童,家庭中任何因COVID-19而死亡的儿童,以及认为孩子的心理变化是由于大流行引起的看护者是SDQ评分异常的预测因子.每天两小时以上的体育锻炼可使儿童情绪和行为困难的风险降低60%。
结论:这项研究强调了大流行对儿童心理健康和生活方式的潜在影响。实施促进积极心理健康的举措,并对弱势群体进行预防性筛查,比如孩子,被认为是必不可少的,预测未来这种前所未有的大流行情况带来的挑战。
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously disrupted societal behaviors and norms. People had to cope with new situations, including restrictions on free movement, home confinement, and school closures, among others. With less scope for physical classes, online classes became rampantly common during and after the pandemic. A virtual learning platform cannot replace the societal learning and preparation of children that normally occurs in school settings. The pandemic had a multifaceted impact on children, disrupting their routine work, social life, and mental health. Such uncertain circumstances are bound to interfere with their emotional well-being, with long-term consequences. It is imperative to screen for the effects of the pandemic situation among children for timely action.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in both rural and urban areas of Puducherry, India, between February and April 2022, toward the fag end of the pandemic. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among caregivers of 621 children aged 6-17 years. Details such as sociodemographic, personal, and behavioral aspects of the child were collected. Emotional and behavioral difficulties during the pandemic were assessed using the parent (caregiver) version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-25 (SDQ-25). Univariate analysis was performed using the chi-square test. Four different regression models were fitted to ascertain the factors influencing the overall difficulty score as well as the SDQ subscales, namely, the internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial scores. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS: Overall, 101 (16.3%) children aged 6-17 years were likely to have emotional and behavioral difficulties according to the SDQ scores. Abnormal externalizing, internalizing, and prosocial scores were documented among 160 (25.8%), 258 (41.5%), and 285 (45.9%) children, respectively. Caregivers reported disruptions in their children\'s academic performance (426, 68.6%), sleeping patterns (269, 43.3%), and eating habits (256, 41.2%). The use of digital devices for noneducational purposes was reported among 97 (35.9%) children. Younger caregivers (18-45 years), children who used digital devices for >2 hours per day, children who experienced any death due to COVID-19 in their family, and caregivers who perceived that the psychological changes in their children were due to the pandemic were predictors of abnormal SDQ scores. Physical activity for more than two hours per day reduced the risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties in children by 60%.
CONCLUSIONS: This research underscores the potential ramifications of the pandemic on the mental well-being and lifestyle of children. Implementing initiatives that promote positive mental health and conducting preventive screening for vulnerable populations, such as children, are considered essential, anticipating the challenges posed by such unprecedented pandemic circumstances in the future.