Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Daily Life: Diverse Experiences for Autistic Adults.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Maljaars J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8788399 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Daily Life: Diverse Experiences for Autistic Adults.
Maljaars Jarymke J Gijbels Eef E Evers Kris K Spain Debbie D Rumball Freya F Happé Francesca F Noens Ilse I
Journal of autism and developmental disorders 20220125 1
Using a mixed methods design, this study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic and non-autistic adults. We conducted an online survey with 196 autistic and 228 non-autistic adults from Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom focusing on their experiences during the first period of the pandemic. Our results indicate rather diverse experiences within the group of autistic participants across all domains of life. In comparison with non-autistic adults, autistic ad ...[more]
Similar Datasets
Project description:Purpose of reviewThe COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions have had a significant impact on people's everyday lives, including the lives of Autistic adults. We aimed to (a) synthesise all papers currently published on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic adults and (b) identify lessons for the care and support of Autistic adults in pandemic and post-pandemic times.Recent findingsFifty-five papers met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on the pandemic's impact on the wellbeing of Autistic adults. Several studies focused on the use of (telehealth) services or the risk of COVID-19 infection/hospitalisation.SummaryAutistic adults were significantly impacted by the pandemic, both directly as indicated by higher COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation rates, but also indirectly due to severe service disruptions and social restrictions. Even though there were large differences observed both between as well as within individuals in terms of the negative/positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, most studies reported a negative effect on Autistic adults' mental health. We draw several lessons from this review for the future care and support of Autistic adults, all of which must be underpinned by participatory research methods, that is, where Autistic community members are actively involved in setting research questions, testing the acceptability of the methods and interpreting and disseminating the results.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40474-023-00268-6.
| S-EPMC9887236 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThis study aimed to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-reported life experiences in older adults with diabetes and obesity.MethodsParticipants were surveyed in 2020 regarding negative and positive impacts of the pandemic across domains of personal, social, and physical experiences. A cumulative negative risk index (a count of all reported negative impacts of 46 items) and a positive risk index (5 items) were characterized in relation to age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI, and multimorbidity.ResultsResponse rate was high (2950/3193, 92%), average age was 76 years, 63% were women, and 39% were from underrepresented populations. Women reported more negative impacts than men (6.8 vs. 5.6; p < 0.001 [of 46 items]) as did persons with a greater multimorbidity index (p < 0.001). Participants reporting African American/Black race reported fewer negative impacts than White participants. Women also reported more positive impacts than men (1.9 vs. 1.6; p < 0.001 [of 5 items]).ConclusionsOlder adults with diabetes and obesity reported more positive impacts of the pandemic than negative impacts, relative to the number of positive (or negative) items presented. Some subgroups experienced greater negative impacts (e.g., for women, a greater multimorbidity index). Efforts to reestablish personal, social, and physical health after the pandemic could target certain groups.
| S-EPMC9088617 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAutistic people experience higher rates of most mental health conditions and report more difficulties with change than nonautistic people. As such, the periods of national stay-at-home orders (known in the United Kingdom as a "lockdown") endured since the beginning of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic in March 2020 may have been particularly challenging for autistic people.AimThis study explored autistic adults' experience of quality of life and well-being during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (specifically March to August 2020) using open-text responses from an online survey.MethodsIn total, 79 autistic adults from the United Kingdom (aged 21-75 years) took part. Participants completed an online survey, including open-text questions on how various factors influencing quality of life, such as social interactions, general health, well-being, and sensory experiences, were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the first set of national lockdowns that occurred between March and August 2020.ResultsThematic analysis created four key themes, each illustrated by several subthemes. These four themes explore (1) health, (2) social changes, (3) support provisions, and (4) adopting new routines. Many participants discussed the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and the first set of national lockdowns had on their health and expressed concerns regarding the transition out of periods of lockdown, including readjusting to new rules, going back to in-person interactions, and reacclimatizing to high-stimulation sensory environments. However, several participants reported positive experiences of the periods of lockdown, such as reduced commuting, more control over sensory environments, and more time to pursue personal interests and self-care.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of giving autistic individuals the support they need to transition back to "normality" as COVID-19 becomes endemic.
| S-EPMC10468551 | biostudies-literature
Project description:People with behavioral health disorders may be particularly vulnerable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little is known about how they are faring. A mixed-methods, anonymous needs assessment was conducted to understand changes in the lives of adults with mental health and substance use disorders since the pandemic onset. A cross-sectional, online survey was completed by 272 adults in April and May 2020, recruited from statewide networks of community programs in New Jersey and New York. Measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 to screen for depressive and anxiety disorders. Also assessed was the pandemic's impact on sleep and dietary patterns, exposure to COVID-19 infection, and access to health care and medications. Finally, respondents were asked to describe in their own words any changes in their lives since the pandemic began. Over one-third (35.1%) screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder and over one-quarter (29.6%) screened positive for major depressive disorder. The majority reported pandemic-related changes in eating and sleeping patterns and exposure to COVID-19 infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that many changes attributed to the pandemic were positively and significantly associated with screening positive for anxiety and depressive disorders. Qualitative analysis confirmed these findings and identified participants' resilience stemming from social support, emotion management, and self-care. These results can inform the design of services that assist this population to bolster self-management skills and reestablish daily habits to improve their lives during and following the pandemic.
| S-EPMC8108632 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rapid increase in the use of telehealth to deliver services to autistic individuals and their families. Research into the provision of autism assessments via telehealth is limited and few studies have explored clinician perspectives of conducting diagnostic assessments for autism in this way. The objective of this study was to examine the acceptability of a new telehealth model from the perspective of key stakeholder groups in an Australian community-based sample i.e. clients undergoing assessment, parent/carers and expert clinicians.MethodsSixteen adult clients (M age = 39.00, SD age = 14.39) and fifty-six parent/carers of children and adults (M age = 44.09, SD age = 9.87) undergoing autism assessments completed an online survey about their experiences of assessments via telehealth. Of these, six clients and twelve parent/carers agreed to participate in follow up interviews. Seven clinicians were also interviewed.ResultsIn this study, the majority of adults and parent/carers reported that they, or the person they cared for, felt comfortable interacting with the clinician, would be willing to undergo future assessments via telehealth and were not concerned that important information had been missed during the assessment. Although the clinicians were slightly less satisfied with tele-assessment process compared to face-to-face and relied on external sources of information more than they would during a face-to-face assessment, their overall confidence in their diagnostic decision making remained high.ConclusionAutism assessment via telehealth may be an acceptable alternative in some circumstances. However, a telehealth service should consider screening clients for suitability and adequately preparing clients for tele-assessments.
| S-EPMC8421202 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of daily life worldwide, but the impact may be higher for impoverished populations. The main aim of this study is to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on different aspects of daily life in mothers in Nepal. We included 493 mothers of children aged 54-71 months participating in a randomized controlled trial on vitamin B12 supplementation. Mothers answered questions regarding the exposure and impact of the pandemic on their daily lives, and pandemic-related worries and sleep problems. We examined the extent to which worry, and sleep problems differed between mothers according to their exposure to COVID-19, socioeconomic status, and previous symptoms of depression. The mean age (SD) of the mothers was 32.3 (4.6) years and 54% had education below the secondary level. Of the mothers, 5.4% had either been exposed to someone who had tested positive or who had a family member with COVID-19. One-third of the participants responded that the pandemic had affected their economic situation, employment, and family life to a great deal. Both mothers and fathers with educational levels above 10 years or households with higher socioeconomic status had significantly higher average worry scores (maternal p = 0.020 and paternal p = 0.005). Mothers with a history of symptoms of depression had significantly more worry-related sleep problems during the pandemic (p = 0.020) than those without a history of depressive symptoms. Our study underlines the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diverse aspects of everyday life of mothers in Nepal.
| S-EPMC10022233 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted daily activity rhythms and life routines with people adjusting to new work schedules, exercise routines, and other everyday life activities. This study examines temporal changes in daily activity rhythms and routines during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing disproportionate changes among working adult subgroups.Materials and methodsIn June 2021, we conducted a year-long study to collect high-resolution fitness tracker data and questionnaire responses from 128 working adults. Questionnaire data were analyzed to explore changes in exercise and work routines during the pandemic. We build temporal distributions of daily step counts to quantify their daily movement rhythms, then measure their consistency over time using the inverse of the Earth mover's distance. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to compare movement rhythm variability among subpopulations.ResultsDuring the pandemic, our cohort exhibited a shift in exercise routines, with a decrease in nonwalking physical exercises, while walking remained unchanged. Migrants and those living alone had less consistent daily movement rhythms compared to others. Those preferring on-site work maintained more consistent daily movement rhythms. Men and migrants returned to work more quickly after pandemic restriction measures were eased.DiscussionOur findings quantitatively show the pandemic's unequal impact on different subpopulations. This study opens new research avenues to explore why certain groups return to on-site work, exercise levels, or daily movement rhythms more slowly compared to prepandemic times.ConclusionsConsidering the pandemic's unequal impact on subpopulations, organizations and policymakers should address diverse needs and offer tailored support during future crises.
| S-EPMC10654873 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives around the world. Autistic adults are at higher risk for co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions and may be more prone to difficulties adapting to pandemic-related changes and social distancing mandates and coping with ongoing uncertainties. On the other hand, the pandemic may lead to greater understanding and acceptance of accommodations in the broader community that may facilitate supports for autistic adults beyond the pandemic. To learn more about their early pandemic experiences, online surveys were sent to independent adults enrolled in the Simons Powering Autism Research Knowledge (SPARK). The first survey was open from March 30 to April 19, 2020; a follow-up survey sent to original responders was open from May 27 to June 6, yielding 396 participants with data for both surveys. We found that adults who were female, younger, had prior diagnoses of a mental health condition, personal COVID-19 experience (i.e., knowing someone who had symptoms or tested positive) or less frequent hope for the future reported the greatest negative impacts. Decrease in feelings of hopefulness over time predicted greater psychological distress at T2, accounting for T1 impact and distress levels and increases in total COVID-19 impact. Less perceived benefit of online services also predicted later distress. Although there tends to be a focus on coping with negative effects of the pandemic, mental health providers may consider approaches that focus on positives, such as fostering hope and understanding factors that facilitate benefit from online services. LAY SUMMARY: Autistic adults may be at risk for psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study suggests that autistic adults who were younger, female, had a mental health diagnosis before the pandemic and knew someone who showed symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19 reported more areas negatively impacted by COVID-19 and greater difficulty coping with those effects. Decreases in hope over time were associated with greater psychological distress. Less perceived benefit from online services also predicted distress 2 months later. These results suggest important areas to further explore as we develop supports for autistic adults during the pandemic.
| S-EPMC8014774 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Primary outcome(s): The incidence of obstructive colorectal cancer
| 2656898 | ecrin-mdr-crc
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic-related isolation measures caused significant unexpected changes in learning experiences for all university students, including autistic students. So far, there has been a lack of information on autistic university students' lived learning experiences caused by the changes in the teaching delivery formats from face-to-face to online during this time. Our study addressed this gap by investigating eight autistic students' reported learning experiences during the rapid changes caused by the pandemic and discussing student-advocated learning supports.MethodsThe participants in this qualitative study were eight formally or self-diagnosed, English-speaking, autistic undergraduate and graduate university students from a mid-sized Canadian university. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews that focused on their learning experiences and preferences before and during the pandemic, including what supports they found helpful. To analyze and interpret the data, autistic and nonautistic researchers used reflexive thematic analysis and a consultative participatory approach.ResultsOur findings suggest that individual (i.e., organizational skills; mental health), interactional (i.e., prior experiences interacting with instructors and teaching assistants), and environmental (i.e., sensory environments, class sizes, virtual learning environments) factors, which were interrelated, determined the nature and quality of these autistic students' learning experiences and their academic preferences during the pandemic. We also found that each autistic student reported unique learning experiences and needed individualized supports for their learning.ConclusionsSeveral interrelated factors (individual, interactional, and environmental) affected the nature and quality of autistic university students' experiences during the pandemic. Each student had unique experiences and needed individualized supports.
| S-EPMC10468545 | biostudies-literature