Perception of Increased Anxiety Regarding Their Parents by Children Admitted to the Pediatrics Outpatient Clinic of a Training and Research Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: Since its declaration as a pandemic, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has adversely affected public mental health. During the pandemic, children and adolescents have experienced increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. In this study, we investigated children’s perceptions of anxiety about their parents during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 206 children. To measure their anxiety about their parents, questions were asked about their parents’ possibility of getting COVID-19 infection. Moreover, children’s knowledge about COVID-19 symptoms and precautions against COVID-19 were evaluated. Results: It was found that children who have more anxiety about getting COVID-19 themselves or their parents catching the illness have more information about COVID-19 symptoms and take more precautions. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the total number of precautions and the total number of known symptoms of COVID-19 among children. Conclusion: This study suggests that evaluating children’s anxiety and perception about their parents during the current COVID-19 pandemic period and supporting necessary mental health care is important for children’s mental health.

Keywords

• Children
• COVID-19
• parental
• environmental
• fear

COVID-19 Pandemisi Sürecinde Bir Eğitim Araştırma Hastanesi Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Polikliniği’ne Başvuran Çocukların Ebeveynleri ile İlgili Artmış Kaygı Algısı

Abstract

Amaç: Koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 (COVID-19), pandemisinin ilan edilmesinden bu yana toplum ruh sağlığı olumsuz yönde etkilenmiştir. Pandemi sırasında çocuklar ve ergenler artan kaygı ve depresif belirtiler yaşamışlardır. Bu çalışmada, pandemi sırasında çocukların ebeveynleri hakkındaki kaygı algıları araştırılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırma örneklemini 206 çocuk oluşturmuştur. Ebeveynleri hakkındaki kaygılarını ölçmek için çocuklara ebeveynlerinin COVID-19 enfeksiyonu kapma olasılıkları hakkında sorular soruldu. Ayrıca çocukların COVID-19 semptomları ve COVID-19’a karşı alınacak önlemler hakkındaki bilgileri değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Kendilerinin veya ebeveynlerinin hastalığa yakalanmasından daha fazla endişe duyan çocukların COVID-19 semptomları hakkında daha fazla bilgi sahibi oldukları ve daha fazla önlem aldıkları bulundu. Ayrıca, çocuklar arasında alınan toplam önlem sayısı ile bilinen toplam COVID-19 semptomu sayısı arasında anlamlı bir pozitif korelasyon vardı. Sonuç: Bu çalışma, mevcut COVID-19 pandemisi döneminde çocukların ebeveynleri hakkındaki kaygı ve algılarının değerlendirilmesinin ve gerekli ruh sağlığı bakımının desteklenmesinin çocukların ruh sağlığı için önemli olduğunu düşündürmektedir

Keywords

• Çocuk
• COVID-19
• ebeveyn
• çevresel
• korku

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