How Did Italian Adolescents with Disability and Parents Deal with the COVID-19 Emergency?

Silvia Faccioli, Francesco Lombardi, Pierantonio Bellini, Stefania Costi, Silvia Sassi and Maria Cristina Pesci
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Silvia Faccioli: PhD Program in Clinical and Experimental Medicine—Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Francesco Lombardi: Neurorehabilitation Unit of S. Sebastiano Hospital, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42015 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Pierantonio Bellini: Unit of Dentistry and Oral-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences with Transplant Surgery, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine Relevance—University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy
Stefania Costi: Unit of Dentistry and Oral-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences with Transplant Surgery, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine Relevance—University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy
Silvia Sassi: Children Rehabilitation Unit of S. M. Nuova Hospital, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Maria Cristina Pesci: Children Rehabilitation Unit of S. M. Nuova Hospital, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: The COVID-19 emergency has imposed distanced education and has interrupted most rehabilitation services. Adolescents with disabilities have been isolated, and the burden on their families has been exacerbated. A cross-sectional survey was administered to adolescents with disability and to parents of disabled children to describe their experience during lockdown and their concerns or expectations about rehabilitation. A sample of 53 adolescents and 239 parents completed the survey. Adolescents were ages 13–18 years old (45.3% female). Most parents were between 35 and 55 years old (84.9% female). While 53.6% of the parents reported no positive effects of the lockdown, 92.5% of the adolescents expressed favorable consequences. The increased time spent with family members was judged positively by 27.2% of parents and by 64.2% of adolescents. Concern for their child’s disability was expressed by 47.3% of parents, while 73.6% of adolescents expressed concerns regarding the ban on meeting friends. In both groups, anxiety symptoms were correlated with the fear of contracting COVID-19 and with financial problems. Parents would have liked even more remote support from school and healthcare professionals, which was available for most participants. Thus, socioeconomic support, assistive technology and telerehabilitation strategies might help families with disabilities during a lockdown.

Keywords: COVID-19; disability; rehabilitation; anxiety; survey; lockdown (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 (6)

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