RESUMEN

COVID-19 pandemic confinement caused changes in families and children's routines worldwide. Studies conducted at the beginning of the pandemic have examined the harmful effects of these changes on mental health, including sleep disturbances. As sleep is essential for optimal childhood development, this study was designed to determine preschool-aged (3-6 years old) children's sleep parameters and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. Using a cross-sectional design, a survey was applied to parents of preschool children, inquiring about their children's confinement status, routine changes, and electronics use. The parents responded to the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to assess children's sleep and mental well-being. To provide objective sleep data, the children wore wrist actigraphy for seven days. Fifty-one participants completed the assessment. The children's mean age was 5.2 years, and the prevalence of sleep disturbances was 68.6%. The use of electronic tablets in the bedroom near bedtime and symptoms of mental health deterioration (i.e., emotional distress and behavioral difficulties) were associated with sleep disturbances and their severity. The COVID-19 pandemic's confinement-related routine changes greatly impacted preschool children's sleep and well-being. We recommend establishing age-tailored interventions to manage children at higher risk.

Asunto(s)

COVID-19 , Trastornos del Sueño-Vigilia , Humanos , Preescolar , Niño , COVID-19/epidemiología , Salud Mental , Pandemias , México , Estudios Transversales , Trastornos del Sueño-Vigilia/epidemiología , Sueño

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine parents' and school-aged children's mental well-being after experiencing confinement and prolonged school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Using a cross-sectional design, an online survey was applied to parents of school-aged children inquiring about their mental well-being and COVID-19 pandemic changes in their home and working lives. To assess the presence of depression, anxiety and stress in parents, the participants responded to the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 scale. To assess psychosocial dysfunction and sleep disturbances in children, participants responded to the Pediatric Symptom Checklist and the Children Sleep Habits Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 209 parents answered the questionnaire, most of them were female (87.1%) with a mean age of 40 years. The prevalence of anxiety, stress and parental depression symptoms were 35.9%, 28.2% and 25.4%, respectively. Children's mean age was 8.9 years, the prevalence of children's psychosocial dysfunction was 12%, while their sleep disturbance symptoms were 59.8%. 10.5% of children were suffering both outcomes. We found a bidirectional relationship between parents' and children's mental health outcomes. Parental depression symptoms were associated with experiencing COVID-19 infection within the household, having children with pre-existing medical diagnoses, children's psychosocial dysfunction and sleep disturbances. Children's psychosocial dysfunction was associated with parental depression and changes in their school routine. Children's sleep disturbances were associated with parental anxiety, younger age, increased use of electronic devices, night-time awakenings and shorter sleep time. CONCLUSION: Our results support the impact of long confinement and school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexican children and parents' mental well-being. We advocate for specific mental health interventions tailored to respond to parents and children at risk of mental well-being distress.

Asunto(s)

COVID-19 , Trastornos del Sueño-Vigilia , Adulto , COVID-19/epidemiología , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Salud Mental , México/epidemiología , Pandemias , Padres/psicología , Trastornos del Sueño-Vigilia/epidemiología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios

RESUMEN

The fast spread of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a huge workload burden. Health care workers have become a particular risk group for developing mental health symptoms, with women being the most affected group according to preliminary data. The aim of this study was to provide information about the prevalence of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in female physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and describe risk factors associated with them. Using a cross-sectional design, we applied an online questionnaire to 303 female physicians inquiring about COVID-19 changes in their social and professional dynamics. To assess the presence of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, the participants responded the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The prevalence for depression, anxiety, sleep quality disturbances and PTSD symptoms was 72.6%, 64.3%, 77.8%, and 19.4% respectively. The main risk factor associated with every outcome was having a previous history of any mental health disorder. Younger age and being at the frontline for COVID-19 attention were relevant to depression symptoms. Our results were in agreement with previous studies, confirming the need for specific age-tailored mental health interventions in female physicians, especially those with previous diagnoses of mental health disorders.