A Mixed Methods Research Study of Parental Perception of Physical Activity and Quality of Life of Children Under Home Lock Down in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Lopez-Aymes G
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8005529 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Interventions to increase children's physical activity (PA) have achieved limited success. This may be attributed to inaccurate parental perceptions of their children's PA and a lack of recognition of a need to change activity levels.Fifty-three parents participated in semistructured interviews to determine perceptions of child PA. Perceptions were compared with children's measured MVPA (classified as meeting or not meeting UK guidelines) to produce 3 categories: "accurate," "over-estimate," and "under-estimate." Deductive content analysis was performed to understand the accuracy of parental perceptions.All parents of children meeting the PA guidelines accurately perceived their child's PA; while the majority of parents whose child did not meet the guidelines overestimated their PA. Most parents were unconcerned about their child's PA level, viewing them as naturally active and willing to be active. Qualitative explanations for perceptions of insufficient activity included children having health problems and preferences for inactive pursuits, and parents having difficulty facilitating PA in poor weather and not always observing their child's PA level. Social comparisons also influenced parental perceptions.Strategies to improve parental awareness of child PA are needed. Perceptions of child PA may be informed by child "busyness," being unaware of activity levels, and social comparisons.
| S-EPMC4816194 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundWith the introduction of the Clinical Trial Act in 2011, Mauritius has witnessed significant progress in the running of clinical trials. Our aim was to provide insights on the perception of clinical trials among Mauritian citizens and highlight areas of opportunities to address gaps in public perception and awareness.Population, materials and methodsA mixed study was carried out which consisted of 2 phases: a qualitative, with thematic approach followed by a quantitative study with cross-sectional design. For the qualitative study, computer literate individuals were invited to fill an unstructured, online open-ended questionnaire. Conclusions derived from the latter were used to adapt a validated questionnaire which was then distributed to 400 consented participants.ResultsThere were 23 participants who responded to the online qualitative survey, which showed poor knowledge and diverse views on clinical trials. Quantitatively up to 48% of the participants were not aware of clinical trials which included people of older age group, those from low socioeconomic status and those with low literacy level (p<0.050). Majority of respondents agreed with the value of research while a minority had poor perception related to trust in research companies and conduct of clinical trials. Respondents who had previously engaged in clinical research had better knowledge and perception compared to those who did not participate in one (Odds Ratio = 1.7).ConclusionThis novel study provided a foundation of how Mauritian citizens perceive clinical trials. Public awareness and educational programs can be created to address lack of awareness, the negative perceptions and knowledge gaps of clinical trials among Mauritian citizens.
| S-EPMC7392240 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe Covid-19 pandemic necessitated social distancing restrictions, which placed limitations on access to ophthalmic care to only those who had an imminent risk of sight loss. All other face-to-face consultations were converted to telephone consultations or were postponed. We investigated whether parents were able to test their child's vision using available home vision testing applications, with an aim to aid decision making during a telephone consultation.MethodsFamilies with follow-up consultations at Birmingham Children's Hospital were asked to test their child's vision at home. Instructions for the use of Peek acuity, or iSight Pro, were emailed to a parent. Parents chose to use a particular app based on available devices at home. Parents were asked to test uniocular visual acuity twice. Home versus hospital acuity was correlated. Home acuity test-retest reliability was acquired. Parental feedback was obtained through questionnaires.ResultsOne hundred and three families were contacted, 15 families completed home vision testing. Ten families used Peek acuity, five families used iSight Pro. Uniocular visual acuity test-retest reliability was 0.03 LogMAR. Home-hospital acuity testing had a bias of 0.14 LogMAR, hospital acuity yielding a lower LogMAR score. Most families who completed testing found it easy to do; however, some struggled, and 81 families did not undertake home vision testing.ConclusionsUptake of home vision testing was limited by parental engagement, most likely influenced by the current pandemic. Most families who undertook home vision testing were able to generate results that could be used for clinical decision making. Extending the impact of parental vision testing will require education by clinicians and further study to increase sample sizes and to improve confidence.
| S-EPMC8269789 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: The psychological impact that outbreaks and pandemics could inflict on healthcare workers has been widely studied; yet, little is known about the impact of the lockdown measures. Objectives: To assess the magnitude of depression and anxiety among healthcare professionals before and after lifting of the lockdown restrictions in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Surveys targeting healthcare workers were circulated twice: during the lockdown, and 8 weeks after lifting of lockdown. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales. Results: A total of 947 healthcare workers, with the mean age of (37 ± 8.9) responded to the surveys. Among these, 23-27% respondents reported clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression. Whereas, easing of the lockdown restrictions was shown to be associated with decreasing mean scores of PHQ-9 and GAD-7. The noted burden fell heavily on female workers, those with a current or a history of psychiatric disorders, suffering from chronic diseases, being in workplaces with high exposure to COVID-19 or in contact with COVID-19 patients, nurses, as well as those who were living with elderly and perceived their physical and mental health as "much worse" compared to the time before the pandemic. Conclusion: Our findings identified several predictors for anxiety and depression at different time-points of the pandemic. Thus, priority to psychological support measures might be needed for these groups.
| S-EPMC8414976 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPhysical activity and exercise appear to benefit patients receiving preoperative treatment for cancer. Supports and barriers must be considered to increase compliance with home-based exercise prescriptions in this setting. Such influences have not been previously examined.MethodsThe authors used quantitative and qualitative methods to examine potential physical activity influences among patients who were prescribed home-based aerobic and strengthening exercises concurrent with preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiation for pancreatic cancer. Physical activity was measured using exercise logs and accelerometers. Social support for exercise and perceived neighborhood walkability were measured using validated surveys. Relationships between influences and physical activity were evaluated using linear regression analyses and qualitative interviews.ResultsFifty patients received treatment for a mean of 16 (9) weeks prior to planned surgical resection. Social support from friends and neighborhood esthetics were positively associated with physical activity (P < .05). In interviews, patients confirmed the importance of these influences and cited encouragement from health care providers and desire to complete and recover from treatment as additional motivators.ConclusionsInterpersonal and environmental motivators of exercise and physical activity must be considered in the design of future home-based exercise interventions designed for patients receiving preoperative therapy for cancer.
| S-EPMC8390122 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundExercise has been suggested to prevent deterioration of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and overall health in pediatric rheumatologic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Herein we describe the effects of a 12-week, home-based, exercise program on overall health and quality of life among quarantined patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).MethodThis prospective, quasi-experimental, mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) study was conducted between July and December 2020, during the most restricted period of COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The home-based exercise program consisted of a 12-week, three-times-a-week, aerobic and strengthening (bodyweight) training program. Qualitative data were systematically evaluated. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQOL) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) evaluate symptoms of mental health disorder, HRQL, and quality of sleep.Findings11 patients (out of 27) met the inclusion criteria (91% female; mean ± SD age: 13.5 ± 3.2 years). Adherence to the intervention was 72.6%. Barriers to exercise involved poor internet connectivity, excessive weekly sessions, and other commitments. Even though not statistically significant, Self-report SDQ subscales Total Difficulties Score, Emotional Problems Score, and PedsQOL School Functioning Score improved after intervention (- 2.4; 95%confidence interval [CI] -5.1; 0.2, p = 0.06; - 1.0; 95%CI -2.2; 0.2, p = 0.09 and; 11.7; 95%CI -2.5; 25.8, p = 0.09, respectively). Remaining SDQ subscales were not altered. Six themes emerged from patients' and parents' comments (qualitative results). Patients engaged in exercise reported other health-related benefits including increased motivation, concentration and strength.InterpretationA home-based exercise program was associated with qualitative perceptions of improvements in overall health and HRQL by quarantined adolescents with JDM during COVID-19 pandemic. Lessons from this trial may help developing interventions focused on tackling physical inactivity in JDM.
| S-EPMC8590116 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We suggest that the unprecedented and unintended decrease of emissions of air pollutants during the COVID-19 lock-down in 2020 could lead to declining seasonal ozone concentrations and positive impacts on crop yields. An initial assessment of the potential effects of COVID-19 emission reductions was made using a set of six scenarios that variously assumed annual European and global emission reductions of 30% and 50% for the energy, industry, road transport and international shipping sectors, and 80% for the aviation sector. The greatest ozone reductions during the growing season reached up to 12 ppb over crop growing regions in Asia and up to 6 ppb in North America and Europe for the 50% global reduction scenario. In Europe, ozone responses are more sensitive to emission declines in other continents, international shipping and aviation than to emissions changes within Europe. We demonstrate that for wheat the overall magnitude of ozone precursor emission changes could lead to yield improvements between 2% and 8%. The expected magnitude of ozone precursor emission reductions during the Northern Hemisphere growing season in 2020 presents an opportunity to test and improve crop models and experimentally based exposure response relationships of ozone impacts on crops, under real-world conditions. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Air quality, past present and future'.
| S-EPMC7536037 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To slow the spread of COVID-19, many nonessential businesses, daycares, and schools closed, and areas imposed "stay-at-home" orders. Closures led to young children spending more time at home, traditionally, the place where more than one-half of unintentional pediatric injuries occur. The objective of the current study was to describe parental safety perceptions and confidence, safety device purchase and installation, and injury prevention practices and behaviors, in homes with children 6 years of age and younger, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample of US participants, 18 years or older, was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021. Parents of children (≤ 6 years) were recruited via social media ads and posts on Facebook and Twitter and invited to complete an anonymous, online survey about their home safety practices before and during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. Upon completion, parents could participate in a prize drawing to receive one of five $100 gift cards. A total of 499 participants completed the survey. Most (47.9%) were 45-54 years of age and reported the amount of time at home increased for them (93.9%) and their children (90.6%) during the stay-at-home period. Thirty-seven percent (36.9%) of parents considered their homes safe but recognized room for improvement and felt confident in their ability to make their homes safe for their children (72.8%). From the time before until the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were in place, parents increased their home injury prevention practices (42.3%). Parents that had identified unsafe areas in the home before the stay-at-home order were significantly more likely to increase their safety behaviors, take childproofing actions, and purchase or install safety devices during the stay-at-home order (p < 0.0001). Parents with younger children (5 years) were significantly more likely than parents with older children to take childproofing actions (p < .0001) including purchasing and installing safety devices (p < 0.0001). Spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic may have helped the sampled parents, especially those with younger children, identify unsafe areas in their homes and encourage them to modify their behaviors, and purchase and install safety devices to help make their homes safer for their children.
| S-EPMC9768763 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesTo examine differences in rural community children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and participation in out-of-school activities from fall 2019 to fall 2020 and explore enacted PA opportunity modifications post initial COVID-19 disruption.DesignMixed methods study using the validated Youth Activity Profile (YAP), administrator reports and stakeholder surveys and semistructured interviews.SettingChildren and community stakeholders from one rural US Great Plains community in the state of Nebraska were recruited.ParticipantsThird through fifth graders in fall 2019 (n=144) and fall 2020 (n=174) reported MVPA and participation in out-of-school activities using the YAP. School administrators reported weekly physical education (PE) and recess minutes. Community stakeholders reported pandemic-related changes in community social structures in semistructured interviews (n=4) and surveys (n=19).ResultsAverage daily MVPA minutes increased from 2019 to 2020 (75.0 vs 81.3, SE=1.6, p<0.05). Minutes of MVPA increased during: school hours (MD=2.7, SE=0.5, p<0.5); out-of-school time on weekdays (MD=3.9, SE=1.3, p<0.5); and on weekends (MD=5.5, SE=2.4, p<0.5). On average, fewer children participated in youth sport (42.5% vs 47.2%), youth clubs (10.3% vs 16.0%) and other out-of-school activities (24.1% vs 38.2%) in 2020, compared with 2019. Weekly PE/recess minutes increased from 208.3 to 241.7 from 2019 to 2020. Stakeholder surveys revealed community-driven modifications to PA opportunities, and interviews suggested children played outside more frequently, especially when school was closed and out-of-school activities were shut down.ConclusionsIncreased minutes of PE and recess, and decreased out-of-school activity participation may have increased children's overall free play and MVPA during the pandemic. Free play was an important contributor to children's PA during the pandemic and should be prioritised by educators, coaches and other leaders of child PA opportunities.Trial registration numberNCT03380143.
| S-EPMC9620527 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe Covid-19 pandemic has so far infected more than 30 million people in the world, having major impact on global health with collateral damage. In Mozambique, a public state of emergency was declared at the end of March 2020. This has limited people's movements and reduced public services, leading to a decrease in the number of people accessing health care facilities. An implementation research project, The Alert Community for a Prepared Hospital, has been promoting access to maternal and child health care, in Natikiri, Nampula, for the last four years. Nampula has the second highest incidence of Covid-19. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of Covid-19 pandemic Government restrictions on access to maternal and child healthcare services. We compared health centres in Nampula city with healthcare centres in our research catchment area. We wanted to see if our previous research interventions have led to a more resilient response from the community.MethodsMixed-methods research, descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective, using a review of patient visit documentation. We compared maternal and child health care unit statistical indicators from March-May 2019 to the same time-period in 2020. We tested for significant changes in access to maternal and child health services, using KrushKall Wallis, One-way Anova and mean and standard deviation tests. We compared interviews with health professionals, traditional birth attendants and patients in the two areas. We gathered data from a comparable city health centre and the main city referral hospital. The Marrere health centre and Marrere General Hospital were the two Alert Community for a Prepared Hospital intervention sites.ResultsComparing 2019 quantitative maternal health services access indicators with those from 2020, showed decreases in most important indicators: family planning visits and elective C-sections dropped 28%; first antenatal visit occurring in the first trimester dropped 26%; hospital deliveries dropped a statistically significant 4% (p = 0.046), while home deliveries rose 74%; children vaccinated down 20%.ConclusionOur results demonstrated the negative collateral effects of Covid-19 pandemic Government restrictions, on access to maternal and child healthcare services, and highlighted the need to improve the health information system in Mozambique.
| S-EPMC8381138 | biostudies-literature