Abstract
Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the first UK lockdown (March to May 2020) witnessed a dramatic reduction in children presenting to primary/emergency care, creating concern that fear of the virus was resulting in children presenting late.
Methods
An online survey was co-developed with UK parents to understand the impact of the lockdown on parents' help-seeking for, and care of, their sick/injured child(ren). The survey was advertised through social media and snowballing to parents whose children had been ill/injured during the lockdown. Analysis used descriptive statistics, SPSSv25 and thematic analysis.
Results
The survey was fully completed by 198 UK parents. The majority asked for help (144/198): from their family doctor (78), national helplines (48) or an Emergency Department (23). Most reported that their decision-making had not changed, although how they sought help had changed. A few parents reported that the severity and duration of illness had increased because of uncertainty about and/or difficulty accessing services. Parents did not always report seeking help for symptoms rated red or amber by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Parents reported accessing information through the internet or using information that they already had.
Parent Contribution
This was a collaboration with parents from survey development to dissemination, with two parents being integral members of our research team.
Conclusions
Our questionnaire was completed by parents who were not deterred from seeking help for their sick or injured children. Even for these parents, the lockdown changes to services created uncertainty about, and barriers to, accessing medical help for their children.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the first UK lockdown (March to May 2020) witnessed a dramatic reduction in children presenting to primary/emergency care, creating concern that fear of the virus was resulting in children presenting late.
Methods
An online survey was co-developed with UK parents to understand the impact of the lockdown on parents' help-seeking for, and care of, their sick/injured child(ren). The survey was advertised through social media and snowballing to parents whose children had been ill/injured during the lockdown. Analysis used descriptive statistics, SPSSv25 and thematic analysis.
Results
The survey was fully completed by 198 UK parents. The majority asked for help (144/198): from their family doctor (78), national helplines (48) or an Emergency Department (23). Most reported that their decision-making had not changed, although how they sought help had changed. A few parents reported that the severity and duration of illness had increased because of uncertainty about and/or difficulty accessing services. Parents did not always report seeking help for symptoms rated red or amber by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Parents reported accessing information through the internet or using information that they already had.
Parent Contribution
This was a collaboration with parents from survey development to dissemination, with two parents being integral members of our research team.
Conclusions
Our questionnaire was completed by parents who were not deterred from seeking help for their sick or injured children. Even for these parents, the lockdown changes to services created uncertainty about, and barriers to, accessing medical help for their children.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2036-2046 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Health Expectations |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 18 Aug 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Thanks are due to our extensive network for their help in distributing information about the survey: Jen O'Donnell, TOD Safety Engineering Limited; Mala Raman and Andy Robinson, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth; Lucie Riches, Meningitis Now; Linda Glennie, Meningitis Research Foundation; Ron Daniels, UK Sepsis Trust; Hannah Bemand, WellChild charity; students and staff in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and School of Psychology at the University of Plymouth; South Asian Society Plymouth; Wellbeing Exeter and Devon Family Resource; Royal College of Nursing Children and Young People's Nursing Facebook page; Children and Young People's Nursing Association UK (CYPNAUK); PenARC; International Family Nursing Association UK Chapter; Royal College of General Practitioners; Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, their RCPCH & Us group, Redbook committee, Medicines for children project team; Institute of Health Visiting; and the School and Public Health Nurses Association (SAPHNA).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
