Children and COVID-19 Research Library

This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the primary health care (PHC) services to follow-up the child growth and development (CGD) in Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data related visits to assess the growth and development of children up to five years between Apr-2017 to Mar-2021. Differences between monthly rate of visits (per thousand inhabitants up to five) during the pandemic (Apr-2020 to Mar-2021) and before (Apr-2017 to Mar-2020) were analyzed using paired t test and control diagrams (averages ± 1.96 standard deviation).

This study aimed to analyze the risk and protective factors to the development of children under three years of age during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional, quantitative study carried out in three early childhood education centers in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in October 2020. The data were collected with an online questionnaire. Risk and protection factors were measured with the Primeira Infância Para Adultos Saudáveis (Early Childhood For Healthy Adults) instrument and the children's development status was measured using the Caregiver Reported Early Development Instruments – CREDI.

The researchers assessed the delay in referral of pregnant women and children under five years old during the COVID-19 pandemic that they require regular healthcare. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 in Fars, Iran. A total of 591 households with pregnant women and children under five years old were recruited, then having delay and the number of their delays in regular visits during the COVID-19 outbreak was asked. A total of 153 children under five years old (51.7%) and 93 pregnant women (31.5%) reported delays in referral. In children, higher age and referral to the family physician and private clinic, and in pregnant women, higher gestational age and pregnancy rank and having health problems (e.g., preeclampsia in the current pregnancy) significantly enhanced the number of delays. Due to the vulnerability of these groups, it is necessary to consider active care for them as a priority at the primary care level.

The NHS response to covid-19 altered provision and access to primary care. This study aims to examine the impact of covid-19 on general practitioner (GP) contacts with children and young people in England. Longitudinal trends analysis using electronic health records from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database.

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected reproductive and perinatal health both through the infection itself and, indirectly, as a consequence of changes in medical care, social policy or social and economic circumstances. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the pandemic and of the measures adopted on breastfeeding initiation and maintenance. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted by means in-depth semi-structured interviews, until reaching data saturation. The study was conducted between the months of January to May 2021. Participants were recruited by midwives from the Primary Care Centres of the Andalusian provinces provinces of Seville, Cádiz, Huelva, Granada, and Jaén. The interviews were conducted via phone call and were subsequently transcribed and analysed by means of reflexive inductive thematic analysis, using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.

This study aims to analyze the vulnerabilities of children in the access to primary health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and Portugal. It is a documentary study based on Brazilian and Portuguese governmental guidelines issued between March and August 2020 regarding access of children to primary health care. Thematic analysis was based on the precepts of health vulnerability.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and posed serious challenges in many countries. A number of studies before the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that the primary caregivers of the ED (Eating disorders) patients are subjected to great burden, psychological pressure, and serious emotional problems. This study aimed to investigate the psychological distress level of the primary caregivers of ED offspring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has claimed more than 1 million lives so far in 2020, but other infectious diseases have caused pneumonia-related mortality for decades. Although most children have less illness related to COVID-19 than adults, the potential secondary impacts of the pandemic could cause a reversal in progress in child survival.  Review of routine health information and programme data across several countries indicate that since the onset of the pandemic there have been reductions in the numbers of children who attend outpatient services and who receive correct diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and immunisation services. On World Pneumonia Day, on Nov 12, 2020, it is time to take stock of the key actions the global health community should be taking to support country efforts to strengthen primary health care and health information systems to accelerate progress in preventing child pneumonia infections and deaths.