Effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on caregiver mental health and the child caregiving environment in a low-resource, rural context

Bibliographic Data

ID21301307
AuthorsHelen O Pitchik (0000-0002-5665-0884, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California , Berkeley, California, corresponding author), Fahmida Tofail (0000-0003-2301-9196, Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (icddr,b) , Dhaka), Fahmida Akter (0000-0001-9294-265X, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Jesmin Sultana (0000-0003-4600-3568, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), AKM Shoab (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), A K M Shoab (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Tarique Md Nurul Huda (0000-0002-9934-0739, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Jenna E Forsyth (0000-0003-1888-3967, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University , Stanford, California), Natasha Kaushal (0000-0001-5865-1584, Johns Hopkins University), Tania Jahir (0000-0002-5021-1370, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Farzana Yeasmin (0000-0002-3123-7452, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Rizwana Khan (0000-0002-9210-9024, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Jyoti Das (0000-0001-8877-1069, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Jyoti B Das (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Md Khobair Hossain (0000-0002-1778-6113, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Rezaul Hasan (0000-0002-3844-8113, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Md Rezaul Hasan (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Mahbubur Rahman (0000-0003-0520-2683, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research), Peter J Winch (0000-0001-8569-5507, Johns Hopkins University), Stephen P Luby (0000-0001-5385-899X, Stanford University), Lia C H Fernald (0000-0003-1555-4607, Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California , Berkeley, California)
Year2021
Volume92
Issue5
Pagese764-e780
Publication date2021-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueChild Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0009-3920 • E-ISSN: 1467-8624
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/cdev.13651
PMID34490612
OpenAlexW3198839441
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited37

Early child development has been influenced directly and indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic, and these effects are exacerbated in contexts of poverty. This study estimates effects of the pandemic and subsequent population lockdowns on mental health, caregiving practices, and freedom of movement among female caregivers of children 6–27 months (50% female), in rural Bangladesh. A cohort (N = 517) was assessed before and during the pandemic (May–June, 2019 and July–September, 2020). Caregivers who experienced more food insecurity and financial loss during the pandemic reported larger increases in depressive symptoms (0.26 SD, 95% CI 0.08–0.44; 0.21 SD, 0.04–0.40) compared to less affected caregivers. Stimulating caregiving and freedom of movement results were inconsistent. Increases in depressive symptoms during the pandemic may have consequences for child development

Child development · Context (archaeology) · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Economic growth · Environmental health · Geography · Mental health · Pandemic · Population · Poverty · Psychiatry · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demography · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology · Gerontology