Sink or Swim: Virtual Life Challenges among African American Families during COVID-19 Lockdown

Adaobi Anakwe, Wilson Majee, Kemba Noel-London, Iris Zachary and Rhonda BeLue
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Adaobi Anakwe: College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
Wilson Majee: Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Kemba Noel-London: Department of Health Management and Policy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
Iris Zachary: Health Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Rhonda BeLue: Department of Health Management and Policy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: This study explores African American parents’ experiences with using technology to engage their children in meaningful activities (e.g., e-learning) during COVID-19 and its impact on family health. Eleven African American families were recruited through a local health department program from a rural Midwestern community to participate in semi-structured interviews. Majority of participants reported stresses from feelings of “sink or swim” in a digital world, without supports from schools to effectively provide for their children’s technology needs. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of family-school collaborative engagement and empowerment. Digital technology needs to become part of our school education system so that technology use among African Americans is elevated and families protected against future outbreaks. Further research with a more diverse African American sample is needed.

Keywords: COVID-19; African American; emotional health; family engagement; digital technology divide (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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