Mental health impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on parents in high-risk, low income communities

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has spread across the globe, resulting in significant changes in virtually every aspect of life. Mitigation efforts, like shelter-in-place orders, have taken a particular toll on parents who have had to navigate disruptions in work and/or school schedules. Research from high-income countries demonstrates increased parental anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout resulting from the pandemic. It is unclear if these outcomes are the same for parents in high-risk communities in low-income countries where pre-pandemic conditions were deleterious. This study addresses this gap and examines the mental health impact of the pandemic on parents in high-risk communities in Guatemala. Methods: A total of 330 individuals from 11 districts in Guatemala participated in the study and were assessed for sociodemographic characteristics and mental health impairment. Chi-squares were conducted for bivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression. Results: Bivariate analysis revealed differences between groups on burnout, with parents more often reporting feelings of burnout than nonparents ( p < .001). Binary regression demonstrated that non-parents were 70% less likely to endorse feelings of stress as compared to parents (OR = .285; p = .014). Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of identifying the unique mental health impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on parents in high-risk communities. In high-risk communities, parental stress is a pressing problem that, if unaddressed, has the potential to result in even greater psychological distress and child maltreatment. Training community healthcare providers to assess and address parental stress can lead to increased community capacity and the development of a community-based network to serve as a first line of support for parents and their children.

Belastung von Eltern mit Kindern im Schulalter während verschiedener Phasen der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland: Eine Analyse der COVID-19-Snapshot-Monitoring-(COSMO‑)Daten

“…Nach internationalen Studien scheint das Auftreten von erhöhtem elterlichen Stress und Belastung ein weltweites Phänomen während der Pandemie zu sein (z. B. im Vereinigten Königreich [15], in den USA [12][13][14], in Italien [16,17] und in Guatemala [18]), wobei ein höheres Stressniveau mit einem jüngeren Alter von Eltern und Kindern assoziiert war.…”

“…Im Vergleich zu Kindern wurde die elterliche Gesundheit allerdings während der COVID-19-Pan- demie bisher weniger intensiv erforscht. Erste nationale [9][10][11] und internationale [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Ergebnisse deuten jedoch darauf hin, dass Eltern von den Pandemiemaßnahmen besonders betroffen sind.…”

Prevalence and Sociodemographic Predictors of Mental Health in a Representative Sample of Young Adults from Germany, Israel, Poland, and Slovenia: A Longitudinal Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Furthermore, the general population has been exposed to stressors due to the fear of being infected and the preventive restrictions imposed, which included social distancing, isolation, quarantine, and loss of employment [2]. Such stressors may cause substantial mental health difficulties, especially among vulnerable populations, including the elderly, individuals with chronic diseases, and low-income families [3,4].…”

Parental mental health during COVID-19 pandemic in Tamil Nadu: a cross sectional study

“…A study was conducted by Alonzo et al, on mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents in high-risk, low-income communities. 14 It showed that parents more often reported feelings of burnout than nonparents (p<0.001) and nonparents were 70% less likely to endorse the feelings of stress when compared to parents (OR=0.285; p=0.014).…”