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

Year 2024, Volume: 77 Issue: 2, 143 - 148, 12.08.2024

Sadettin Burak Açıkel

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

Ethical Statement

The study obtained approval from the Ethical Committee of the University of Health Sciences Türkiye, Ankara Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children’s Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital (approval no.: 2020-KAEK-141/127, date: 04.03.2021).

Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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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

Ethical Statement

The study obtained approval from the Ethical Committee of the University of Health Sciences Türkiye, Ankara Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children’s Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital (approval no.: 2020-KAEK-141/127, date: 04.03.2021).

Supporting Institution

-

Project Number

-

Thanks

-

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