Comparison of Experiences in Two Birth Cohorts Comprising Young Families with Children under Four Years during the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown in Australia and the UK: A Qualitative Study

Lisa Y. Gibson, Bridget Lockyer, Josie Dickerson, Charlotte Endacott, Sally Bridges, Rosemary R. C. McEachan, Kate E. Pickett, Sarah Whalan, Natasha L. Bear, Desiree T. Silva, Susan L. Prescott and Jacqueline A. Davis
Additional contact information
Lisa Y. Gibson: Telethon Kids Institute, 15 Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
Bridget Lockyer: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK
Josie Dickerson: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK
Charlotte Endacott: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK
Sally Bridges: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK
Rosemary R. C. McEachan: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK
Kate E. Pickett: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
Sarah Whalan: Telethon Kids Institute, 15 Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
Natasha L. Bear: Institute for Health Research, Notre Dame University, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia
Desiree T. Silva: Telethon Kids Institute, 15 Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
Susan L. Prescott: Telethon Kids Institute, 15 Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
Jacqueline A. Davis: Telethon Kids Institute, 15 Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-16

Abstract: This study aims to understand the experience and impact of the initial COVID-19 lockdown in young families with children aged below 4 years. Free text questions were administered to participants in the ORIGINS (Australia) and Born in Bradford (UK) cohort studies to collect qualitative information on worries, concerns and enjoyable experiences during the pandemic. A total of 903 (400 for ORIGINS and 503 for BiB) participants completed the two surveys during April 2020. Despite varying in geography, levels of socio-economic disadvantage and their situational context during the pandemic, respondents from both cohorts reported similar worries and challenges during the lockdown period, including: employment/finances, health anxiety, mental health and social isolation, caring for children and child development. Families across the globe experienced both positive and negative immediate impacts of COVID-19. Population-based data can be used to inform the development of support services, public health campaigns and universal interventions to assist families in future health crises.

Keywords: COVID-19; cohort study; wellbeing; qualitative data; worries; challenges; anxiety; families; collaborative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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