Psychological distress experienced by parents caring for an immunosuppressed child during the COVID-19 pandemic
Psychological distress experienced by parents caring for an immunosuppressed child during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has proved unique in both its unpredictability and the extent to which it has continued to impact on daily life since March 2020. Among the immunosuppressed population the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic are cumulative to the ever-present challenges of living with a long-term condition.
This prospective longitudinal study explored patterns of concern experienced by 467 British parents caring for an immunosuppressed child during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and related this to parental mental wellbeing.
Most parents slowly adapted or were resilient to the ever-changing stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, 12% experienced high levels of concern throughout the first 2 years of the pandemic. This group was also more likely to report emotional mental health problems towards the end of this period.
The experience of emotional mental health problems among parents caring for an immunosuppressed child was related to low household income, single parenting, difficult access to greenspace, and higher level of exposure to COVID positive cases and COVID restrictions (North of England).
Parents reported that optimism, reduction of isolation, and support promoted coping and management of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. More reliable COVID information and periodic medical-condition-specific guidance would have been appreciated.
These findings can increase clinical awareness of high-risk parental groups and make an important contribution to the planning of appropriate targeted psychological family interventions.
COVID-19, Latent class growth analysis, Mental wellbeing, Parents, Phenomenological analysis, Psychological distress
273-281
Driessens, Corine
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Mills, Lynne
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Patel, Ravin
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Culliford, David
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Gbesemete, Diane
45c5ae20-20f8-4bc0-b3cd-c9a102e94471
Lee, Emma
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Shanauk, Meera
83f40c68-4aab-4d43-a1c5-4a65bb7a59da
Chappell, Harry
387fcc50-4641-4233-be44-396017fa3b73
Faust, Saul
f97df780-9f9b-418e-b349-7adf63e150c1
De Graaf, Hans
447e78ed-346f-45bb-9238-fce2118d5559
1 May 2023
Driessens, Corine
59335f14-4ead-4692-9969-7ed9cc1ccf08
Mills, Lynne
8f2412fd-12e7-4653-b85d-57bb56f68d01
Patel, Ravin
3e35c431-1bc5-4c69-b353-1ca3cd240c1d
Culliford, David
25511573-74d3-422a-b0ee-dfe60f80df87
Gbesemete, Diane
45c5ae20-20f8-4bc0-b3cd-c9a102e94471
Lee, Emma
408371dc-7e1c-4902-859a-215b299e3a1f
Shanauk, Meera
83f40c68-4aab-4d43-a1c5-4a65bb7a59da
Chappell, Harry
387fcc50-4641-4233-be44-396017fa3b73
Faust, Saul
f97df780-9f9b-418e-b349-7adf63e150c1
De Graaf, Hans
447e78ed-346f-45bb-9238-fce2118d5559
Driessens, Corine, Mills, Lynne, Patel, Ravin, Culliford, David, Gbesemete, Diane, Lee, Emma, Shanauk, Meera, Chappell, Harry, Faust, Saul and De Graaf, Hans
(2023)
Psychological distress experienced by parents caring for an immunosuppressed child during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Journal of Psychiatric Research, 161, .
(doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.021).
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has proved unique in both its unpredictability and the extent to which it has continued to impact on daily life since March 2020. Among the immunosuppressed population the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic are cumulative to the ever-present challenges of living with a long-term condition.
This prospective longitudinal study explored patterns of concern experienced by 467 British parents caring for an immunosuppressed child during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and related this to parental mental wellbeing.
Most parents slowly adapted or were resilient to the ever-changing stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, 12% experienced high levels of concern throughout the first 2 years of the pandemic. This group was also more likely to report emotional mental health problems towards the end of this period.
The experience of emotional mental health problems among parents caring for an immunosuppressed child was related to low household income, single parenting, difficult access to greenspace, and higher level of exposure to COVID positive cases and COVID restrictions (North of England).
Parents reported that optimism, reduction of isolation, and support promoted coping and management of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. More reliable COVID information and periodic medical-condition-specific guidance would have been appreciated.
These findings can increase clinical awareness of high-risk parental groups and make an important contribution to the planning of appropriate targeted psychological family interventions.
Text
1-s2.0-S0022395623001383-main
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 8 March 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 16 March 2023
Published date: 1 May 2023
Additional Information:
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
COVID-19, Latent class growth analysis, Mental wellbeing, Parents, Phenomenological analysis, Psychological distress
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 476283
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/476283
ISSN: 0022-3956
PURE UUID: 430505e5-bb4a-498a-976f-059da828f2fc
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Date deposited: 18 Apr 2023 16:40
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:33
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Contributors
Author:
Corine Driessens
Author:
Lynne Mills
Author:
Ravin Patel
Author:
David Culliford
Author:
Diane Gbesemete
Author:
Emma Lee
Author:
Meera Shanauk
Author:
Harry Chappell
Author:
Hans De Graaf
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