Maternal Health Behaviors due to Childcare and Schooling Changes in Response to COVID-19

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

Introduction:
The severe acute respiratory syndrome virus (SARS-CoV-2) and resulting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) resulted in the closing of daycares and schools to mitigate the spread of the virus. These mitigation approaches, however, have adversely affected families with young children (Czeisler et al., 2020). The pandemic poses significant challenges for caregivers of school age children, who may turn to maladaptive coping behaviors while under increased stress from balancing work and home-school activities. Maladaptive behaviors of caregivers may adversely impact the home and learning environment for these children. Previous studies have indicated a clear association between prior pandemics and disasters and the effect these events can have on the physical, socioemotional, and cognitive development of young children (Yoshikawa, 2020). Such adverse effects on young children may be attributed to the challenges caregivers face in times of crisis. Therefore, it is important to assess the impact of the pandemic on various domains of life among caregivers through the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory (EPII; Grasso, et al., 2020).

Methods:
Participants from across the states of California, Georgia, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oklahoma (planned n=70 to 100) were asked to complete a brief demographic survey and the EPII. Data collection for this study is currently ongoing as the initial findings in this abstract only report on data collected from 32 participants. Participants included women who were currently pregnant or caring for a child up to 5 years of age. Women were identified through the use of social media, partner medical clinics, prior research study involvement, or SUD treatment programs. The EPII is a 92-item questionnaire designed to capture the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on various aspects of family functioning including the following domains: a) work and employment, b) education and training, c) home life, d) social activities, e) economic impact, f) emotional health and well-being, g) physical health problems, h) physical distancing and quarantine, i) infection history, and j) positive change. All research methods were approved through a single Institutional Review Board (sIRB).

Results and Conclusion
Based on the data collected thus far (n=32), selected items of the EPII were chosen to examine the emotional well-being and health behaviors among caregivers associated with having a child who was unable to go to school (see Table 1). Specific changes included response rates among all participants (n=32), those participants who had a child at home who couldn’t go to daycare/school (n=13), and compared to those participants who did not have a change in daycare/school (n=19). Overall, the preliminary analyses indicate that participants with a change in child care status with the child now at home experience higher levels of overeating/eating junk food; higher levels of increased alcohol and substance use; and higher levels of mental health problems than caregivers who did not have a change in their childcare/schooling. Results suggest areas for improvement in the support of caregivers with additional childcare/school responsibilities.

Authors

• Ashleigh L. Chiaf, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
  Presenting Author

• Julie M. Croff, Oklahoma State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amanda Sheffield Morris, Oklahoma State University - Tulsa
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lana Beasley, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jens E Jespersen, Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mallory Schmidt, Oklahoma State University-Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ludmila N. Bakhireva, University of New Mexico
  Non-Presenting Author

• Julia Stephen, University of New Mexico
  Non-Presenting Author

• Claire D Coles, Emory University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Julie A. Kable, Emory University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Christina Chambers, University of California San Diego
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lynn Singer, Case Western Reserve University
  Non-Presenting Author