Healthcare Provider Narratives of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Canada: A Qualitative Study

Salima Meherali (), Mariam Ahmad, Amyna Ismail Rehmani, Amber Hussain, Saba Nisa, Simone Lebeuf, Sarah Munro, Chandra Ashton, Zohra S. Lassi, Ashley Vandermorris, Hasina Samji and Wendy V. Norman
Additional contact information
Salima Meherali: Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Mariam Ahmad: Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Amyna Ismail Rehmani: Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Amber Hussain: Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Saba Nisa: Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Simone Lebeuf: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Sarah Munro: Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Chandra Ashton: Terra Centre, Edmonton, AB T5N 3A2, Canada
Zohra S. Lassi: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Ashley Vandermorris: Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
Hasina Samji: Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
Wendy V. Norman: Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant challenges for healthcare providers working with pregnant and parenting youth. However, the impacts of the pandemic on this population and healthcare services from the perspective of healthcare providers are not well documented in Canada. We examined the narratives and experiences of healthcare providers regarding these impacts and explored the challenges to service provision. Using a qualitative interpretative description (ID) approach, we recruited 25 health and service providers from Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia for individual qualitative interviews. Our analysis resulted in three themes: complexities of health service provision during COVID-19, healthcare providers’ accounts of impacts on pregnant and parenting youth, and leveraging challenges into opportunities for service provision. Participants described the influence of pandemic policies and distancing measures on accessibility of health services, availability of healthcare resources and personnel, and well-being of their clients. They also reported increased mental health issues, isolation, and exacerbation of inequities within this population. Providers highlighted the role of telemedicine in ensuring some degree of continuity of care. Additionally, they commented on service adaptations to address the evolving needs of their clients. Our findings underline the need for a resilient and adaptable healthcare system that can better support the needs of vulnerable populations during crises.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; pregnant youth; parenting youth; healthcare providers; service provision (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1419/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1419/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:11:p:1419-:d:1507112

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().