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Investigation of Health Care Workers’ Thoughts on Parenting During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 19 - 31, 31.03.2023
https://doi.org/10.55517/mrr.1219080

Abstract

Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused healthcare workers (HCWs) to face many stressors and stay away from their families due to increased workload. This study was aimed to determine the thoughts of HCWs who have children about parenting during the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on HCWs working in Ankara Provincial Health Directorate between January-April 2022. Socio-demographic characteristics, working routines and the propositions of HCWs’ thoughts on parenting were questioned. Results: 272 HCWs participated in the study. 68.4% were female, and 78.7% were university graduates. 41.5% of the HCWs and the children of 36% had COVID-19 infection. Of the participants whose children were isolated due to COVID-19, 43.9% had to go to the workplace while their child was sick. Only 23.9% of the participants thought they could take care of their children adequately, while 69.9% thought their family life was adversely affected. 73.5% of the participants were worried about jeopardizing their child's physical health, 62.5% about their child's mental health, and 75% putting their child's needs in the background during the pandemic due to their work. Conclusion: Parents who are HCWs feel inadequate about parenting and cannot take care of their children as they would like due to their workload. The mental health of HCWs who are worried about endangering their children's physical and mental health and who think their family life is negatively affected may also be adversely affected. It is critical to improve the working conditions of HCWs, support them psychosocially and provide parental support, considering possible new outbreaks.

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N/A

Project Number

N/A

References

  • WHO. WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020 2020 [Available from: https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020.
  • Çevik H, Ungan M. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and residency training of family medicine residents: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Turkey. BMC Family Practice. 2021;22(1):226.
  • Mehta S, Machado F, Kwizera A, Papazian L, Moss M, Azoulay É, et al. COVID-19: a heavy toll on health-care workers. The Lancet Respiratory medicine. 2021;9(3):226-8.
  • Sahoo T, Gulla KM. Life of doctor parents during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of family medicine and primary care. 2020;9(11):5799.
  • Brown SM, Doom JR, Lechuga-Peña S, Watamura SE, Koppels T. Stress and parenting during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Child abuse & neglect. 2020;110(Pt 2):104699.
  • Frank E, Zhao Z, Fang Y, Rotenstein LS, Sen S, Guille C. Experiences of Work-Family Conflict and Mental Health Symptoms by Gender Among Physician Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open. 2021;4(11):e2134315-e.
  • Nishida S, Nagaishi K, Motoya M, Kumagai A, Terada N, Kasuga A, et al. Dilemma of physician-mothers faced with an increased home burden and clinical duties in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. PloS one. 2021;16(6):e0253646.
  • Wu M, Xu W, Yao Y, Zhang L, Guo L, Fan J, et al. Mental health status of students' parents during COVID-19 pandemic and its influence factors. General psychiatry. 2020;33(4):e100250.
  • Chirico F, Ferrari G, Nucera G, Szarpak L, Crescenzo P, Ilesanmi O. Prevalence of anxiety, depression, burnout syndrome, and mental health disorders among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid umbrella review of systematic reviews. J Health Soc Sci. 2021;6(2):209-20.
  • Marvaldi M, Mallet J, Dubertret C, Moro MR, Guessoum SB. Anxiety, depression, trauma-related, and sleep disorders among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2021;126:252-64.
  • Sakib N, Akter T, Zohra F, Bhuiyan AKMI, Mamun MA, Griffiths MD. Fear of COVID-19 and Depression: A Comparative Study Among the General Population and Healthcare Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis in Bangladesh. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 2021.
  • Vizheh M, Qorbani M, Arzaghi SM, Muhidin S, Javanmard Z, Esmaeili M. The mental health of healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders. 2020;19(2):1967-78.
  • Yıldırım M, Arslan G, Özaslan A. Perceived Risk and Mental Health Problems among Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Mediating Effects of Resilience and Coronavirus Fear. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 2022;20(2):1035-45.
  • Dzinamarira T, Murewanhema G, Mhango M, Iradukunda PG, Chitungo I, Mashora M, et al. COVID-19 prevalence among healthcare workers. A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021;19(1):146.
  • Vegivinti CTR, Evanson KW, Lyons H, Akosman I, Barrett A, Hardy N, et al. Efficacy of antiviral therapies for COVID-19: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2022;22(1):107.
  • Bilimsel Danışma Kurulu. COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 Enfeksiyonu) Erişkin Hasta Tedavisi. T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Halk Sağlığı Genel Müdürlüğü 2021 07 May 2021.
  • Musa OA, Chivese T, Bansal D, Abdulmajeed J, Ameen O, Islam N, et al. Prevalence and determinants of symptomatic COVID-19 infection among children and adolescents in Qatar: a cross-sectional analysis of 11 445 individuals. Epidemiology & Infection. 2021;149:e193.
  • Demirbilek Y, Pehlivantürk G, Özgüler ZÖ, Meşe EA. COVID-19 outbreak control, example of ministry of health of Turkey. Turkish journal of medical sciences. 2020;50(9):489-94.
  • Shaw SCK. Hopelessness, helplessness and resilience: The importance of safeguarding our trainees' mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurse education in practice. 2020;44:102780.
  • Jia H, Shang P, Gao S, Cao P, Yu J, Yu X. Work Stress, Health Status and Presenteeism in Relation to Task Performance Among Chinese Medical Staff During COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in public health. 2022;10:836113.
  • Griffith AK. Parental Burnout and Child Maltreatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Family Violence. 2022;37(5):725-31.
  • Rossi L, Behme N, Breuer C. Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(21):11440.
  • Seguin D, Kuenzel E, Morton JB, Duerden EG. School's out: Parenting stress and screen time use in school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of affective disorders reports. 2021;6:100217.
  • Sultana A, Tasnim S, Hossain MM, Bhattacharya S, Purohit N. Digital screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic: a public health concern. F1000Research. 2021;10(81):81.
  • Eyimaya AO, Irmak AY. Relationship between parenting practices and children's screen time during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey. Journal of pediatric nursing. 2021;56:24-9.
  • Toombs E, Mushquash C, Mah L, Short K, Young N, Cheng C, et al. Increased screen time for children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Briefs Ont COVID-19 Sci Advis Table. 2022;3:59.
  • Chung G, Lanier P, Wong PYJ. Mediating Effects of Parental Stress on Harsh Parenting and Parent-Child Relationship during Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in Singapore. Journal of Family Violence. 2022;37(5):801-12.
  • Chowdhry SM. Trying to do it all: being a physician-mother during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of palliative medicine. 2020;23(5):731-2.
  • Chu E, Lee K-M, Stotts R, Benjenk I, Ho G, Yamane D, et al. Hospital-Based Health Care Worker Perceptions of Personal Risk Related to COVID-19. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. 2021;34(Supplement):S103-S12.
  • Galvin G. Nearly 1 in 5 health care workers have quit their jobs during the pandemic. Morning Consult. 2021;4.
  • Harry EM, Carlasare LE, Sinsky CA, Brown RL, Goelz E, Nankivil N, et al. Childcare Stress, Burnout, and Intent to Reduce Hours or Leave the Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among US Health Care Workers. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(7):e2221776-e.

Sağlık Çalışanlarının COVID-19 Pandemisi Döneminde Ebeveynliğe İlişkin Düşüncelerinin İncelenmesi

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 19 - 31, 31.03.2023
https://doi.org/10.55517/mrr.1219080

Abstract

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisi, sağlık çalışanlarının birçok stresörle karşı karşıya kalmasına ve artan iş yükü nedeniyle ailelerinden uzak kalmasına neden olmuştur. Bu çalışmada, çocuk sahibi olan sağlık çalışanlarının pandemi sürecinde ebeveynlik konusundaki düşüncelerini belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Bu kesitsel çalışma, Ocak-Nisan 2022 tarihleri arasında Ankara İl Sağlık Müdürlüğü'nde görev yapan sağlık çalışanlarıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sağlık çalışanlarının sosyo-demografik özellikleri, çalışma rutinleri ve ebeveynlik hakkındaki düşünceleri sorgulanmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmaya 272 sağlık çalışanı katıldı. %68,4'ü kadın, %78,7'si üniversite mezunuydu. Sağlık çalışanlarının %41,5'i, ve %36'sının çocukları COVID-19 enfeksiyonu geçirmişti. Çocukları COVID-19 nedeniyle izole olan katılımcıların %43,9'u çocuğu hastayken iş yerine gitmek zorunda kalmıştı. Katılımcıların sadece %23,9'u çocuklarıyla yeterince ilgilenebildiğini düşünürken, %69,9'u aile yaşamının olumsuz etkilendiğini düşünmekteydi. Katılımcıların %73,5'i işi nedeniyle çocuğunun/çocuklarının fiziksel sağlığını, %62,5'i çocuğunun ruh sağlığını tehlikeye atmaktan ve %75'i pandemi döneminde çocuklarının ihtiyaçlarını ikinci plana atmaktan endişe duymaktaydı. Sonuç: Sağlık çalışanı olan ebeveynler ebeveynlik konusunda kendilerini yetersiz hissetmekte ve iş yükleri nedeniyle çocuklarıyla diledikleri şekilde ilgilenememektedir. Çocuklarının fiziksel ve ruhsal sağlığını tehlikeye atmaktan endişe duyan ve aile yaşamının olumsuz etkilendiğini düşünen sağlık çalışanlarının kendi ruh sağlıklarının da olumsuz etkilenmesi muhtemeldir. Olası yeni salgınlar göz önünde bulundurularak sağlık çalışanlarının çalışma koşullarının iyileştirilmesi, psikososyal yönden desteklenmesi ve ebeveyn desteğinin sağlanması kritik önem taşımaktadır.

Project Number

N/A

References

  • WHO. WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020 2020 [Available from: https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020.
  • Çevik H, Ungan M. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and residency training of family medicine residents: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Turkey. BMC Family Practice. 2021;22(1):226.
  • Mehta S, Machado F, Kwizera A, Papazian L, Moss M, Azoulay É, et al. COVID-19: a heavy toll on health-care workers. The Lancet Respiratory medicine. 2021;9(3):226-8.
  • Sahoo T, Gulla KM. Life of doctor parents during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of family medicine and primary care. 2020;9(11):5799.
  • Brown SM, Doom JR, Lechuga-Peña S, Watamura SE, Koppels T. Stress and parenting during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Child abuse & neglect. 2020;110(Pt 2):104699.
  • Frank E, Zhao Z, Fang Y, Rotenstein LS, Sen S, Guille C. Experiences of Work-Family Conflict and Mental Health Symptoms by Gender Among Physician Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open. 2021;4(11):e2134315-e.
  • Nishida S, Nagaishi K, Motoya M, Kumagai A, Terada N, Kasuga A, et al. Dilemma of physician-mothers faced with an increased home burden and clinical duties in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. PloS one. 2021;16(6):e0253646.
  • Wu M, Xu W, Yao Y, Zhang L, Guo L, Fan J, et al. Mental health status of students' parents during COVID-19 pandemic and its influence factors. General psychiatry. 2020;33(4):e100250.
  • Chirico F, Ferrari G, Nucera G, Szarpak L, Crescenzo P, Ilesanmi O. Prevalence of anxiety, depression, burnout syndrome, and mental health disorders among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid umbrella review of systematic reviews. J Health Soc Sci. 2021;6(2):209-20.
  • Marvaldi M, Mallet J, Dubertret C, Moro MR, Guessoum SB. Anxiety, depression, trauma-related, and sleep disorders among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2021;126:252-64.
  • Sakib N, Akter T, Zohra F, Bhuiyan AKMI, Mamun MA, Griffiths MD. Fear of COVID-19 and Depression: A Comparative Study Among the General Population and Healthcare Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis in Bangladesh. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 2021.
  • Vizheh M, Qorbani M, Arzaghi SM, Muhidin S, Javanmard Z, Esmaeili M. The mental health of healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders. 2020;19(2):1967-78.
  • Yıldırım M, Arslan G, Özaslan A. Perceived Risk and Mental Health Problems among Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Mediating Effects of Resilience and Coronavirus Fear. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 2022;20(2):1035-45.
  • Dzinamarira T, Murewanhema G, Mhango M, Iradukunda PG, Chitungo I, Mashora M, et al. COVID-19 prevalence among healthcare workers. A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021;19(1):146.
  • Vegivinti CTR, Evanson KW, Lyons H, Akosman I, Barrett A, Hardy N, et al. Efficacy of antiviral therapies for COVID-19: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2022;22(1):107.
  • Bilimsel Danışma Kurulu. COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 Enfeksiyonu) Erişkin Hasta Tedavisi. T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Halk Sağlığı Genel Müdürlüğü 2021 07 May 2021.
  • Musa OA, Chivese T, Bansal D, Abdulmajeed J, Ameen O, Islam N, et al. Prevalence and determinants of symptomatic COVID-19 infection among children and adolescents in Qatar: a cross-sectional analysis of 11 445 individuals. Epidemiology & Infection. 2021;149:e193.
  • Demirbilek Y, Pehlivantürk G, Özgüler ZÖ, Meşe EA. COVID-19 outbreak control, example of ministry of health of Turkey. Turkish journal of medical sciences. 2020;50(9):489-94.
  • Shaw SCK. Hopelessness, helplessness and resilience: The importance of safeguarding our trainees' mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurse education in practice. 2020;44:102780.
  • Jia H, Shang P, Gao S, Cao P, Yu J, Yu X. Work Stress, Health Status and Presenteeism in Relation to Task Performance Among Chinese Medical Staff During COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in public health. 2022;10:836113.
  • Griffith AK. Parental Burnout and Child Maltreatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Family Violence. 2022;37(5):725-31.
  • Rossi L, Behme N, Breuer C. Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(21):11440.
  • Seguin D, Kuenzel E, Morton JB, Duerden EG. School's out: Parenting stress and screen time use in school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of affective disorders reports. 2021;6:100217.
  • Sultana A, Tasnim S, Hossain MM, Bhattacharya S, Purohit N. Digital screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic: a public health concern. F1000Research. 2021;10(81):81.
  • Eyimaya AO, Irmak AY. Relationship between parenting practices and children's screen time during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey. Journal of pediatric nursing. 2021;56:24-9.
  • Toombs E, Mushquash C, Mah L, Short K, Young N, Cheng C, et al. Increased screen time for children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Briefs Ont COVID-19 Sci Advis Table. 2022;3:59.
  • Chung G, Lanier P, Wong PYJ. Mediating Effects of Parental Stress on Harsh Parenting and Parent-Child Relationship during Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in Singapore. Journal of Family Violence. 2022;37(5):801-12.
  • Chowdhry SM. Trying to do it all: being a physician-mother during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of palliative medicine. 2020;23(5):731-2.
  • Chu E, Lee K-M, Stotts R, Benjenk I, Ho G, Yamane D, et al. Hospital-Based Health Care Worker Perceptions of Personal Risk Related to COVID-19. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. 2021;34(Supplement):S103-S12.
  • Galvin G. Nearly 1 in 5 health care workers have quit their jobs during the pandemic. Morning Consult. 2021;4.
  • Harry EM, Carlasare LE, Sinsky CA, Brown RL, Goelz E, Nankivil N, et al. Childcare Stress, Burnout, and Intent to Reduce Hours or Leave the Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among US Health Care Workers. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(7):e2221776-e.
There are 31 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Clinical Sciences
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Hüsna Çevik 0000-0002-4292-4696

Emrah Emiral 0000-0003-2464-7039

Gülsüm Öztürk Emiral 0000-0001-8781-4127

Yunus Emre Bulut 0000-0003-1501-2525

Abide Aksungur 0000-0002-8140-0289

Project Number N/A
Publication Date March 31, 2023
Submission Date December 14, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 6 Issue: 1

Cite

Vancouver Çevik H, Emiral E, Öztürk Emiral G, Bulut YE, Aksungur A. Investigation of Health Care Workers’ Thoughts on Parenting During the COVID-19 Pandemic. MRR. 2023;6(1):19-31.