Psychiatric and general health effects of COVID-19 pandemic on children with chronic lung disease and parents' coping styles

Abstract

Background: We aim to assess the anxiety and depressive symptoms related to the COVID-19 pandemic in children with chronic lung disease and their parents and also to evaluate parents' coping strategies. Methods: Parents of children aged 4–18 years, with chronic lung disease (study group n = 113) and healthy control (n = 108) were enrolled in the study. General Health Questionnaire-12, specific COVID-19 related anxiety questions, The Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory, coronavirus-related psychiatric symptom scale in children–parental form were used to analyze the psychiatric effects of COVID-19. Parents were also asked about how online education affected their family life and children. All data were compared between children/parents in the study and control groups. Risk factors related with anxiety scores of children were also analyzed. Results: Talking about the pandemic, concern about coronavirus transmission, taking precaution to prevent coronavirus transmission, making pressure to protect from COVID-19 were significantly higher in parents within the study group (p