ABSTRACT
Objectives:
In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the anxiety levels and sleep problems experienced by the children of healthcare workers (HCWs) with Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) during the pandemic.
Materials and Methods:
The participants completed a sociodemographic data form, the Parent Screen for Child Anxiety and Related Disorders (SCARED) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 Level 2 Sleep Disorders Scale by using online applications. The child SCARED, which has a self- report scale for HCWs, was completed. Ninety-four healthcare workers and 94 HCWs’ children, including 30 HCWs with COVID-19 (Group 1) and 64 HCWs without COVID-19 (Group 2), were included in the study. The scale scores were compared between two groups.
Results:
There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. There was no significant difference in sleep disorders and anxiety disorders scale scores between Group 1 and Group 2. The proportion of those who reached the total anxiety cut-off point in both groups was between 27% and 45%. In the regression analyses, it was found that the parent’s chronic medical disease (p=0.028) and the child’s female gender (p=0.004, p=0.009) were found to be significant predictors of anxiety symptoms in the child. The presence of a psychiatric disorder in the child (p<0.001) and the parents staying away from home during the pandemic (p=0.012) were found to be significant predictors of sleep disturbance in the child.
Conclusion:
In our study, anxiety symptoms were found in children regardless of whether HCWs had COVID-19 infection. It is known that some factors such as gender, chronic medical diseases, psychiatric disorders or living with parents may be predictors and providing psychosocial support services for these children may contribute to the determination of possible risks associated with pandemics and the measures that can be taken.
Keywords:
Anxiety, sleep disturbance, COVID-19, healthcare workers, child and adolescent
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