TY - JOUR
T1 - The Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Mental Wellbeing in Children with a Chronic Condition Compared to Healthy Peers
AU - Hoefnagels, Johanna W
AU - Schoen, Annelieke B
AU - van der Laan, Sabine E I
AU - Rodijk, Lyan H
AU - van der Ent, Cornelis K
AU - van de Putte, Elise M
AU - Dalmeijer, Geertje W
AU - Nijhof, Sanne L
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: This research was funded by Elisabeth von Freyburg Stichting, project 15121403.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/3/3
Y1 - 2022/3/3
N2 - The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental wellbeing of children 8-18 years old with chronic conditions, by comparing pandemic data with pre-pandemic data and with healthy peers. Data were obtained from two ongoing longitudinal cohorts: the PROactive cohort study following children with a chronic condition, and the WHISTLER population cohort. Mental wellbeing was assessed by three indicators: life satisfaction, internalising symptoms, and psychosomatic health. The stringency of the COVID-19-related lockdown was considered a moderating factor. Data on chronic patients were recorded before (n = 934, 65% girls) and during (n = 503, 61% girls) the pandemic, and compared to healthy peers during the pandemic (n = 166, 61% girls). Children with a chronic condition reported lower life satisfaction, but no clinically relevant changes in internalising symptoms or psychosomatic health, during the pandemic compared to before. In comparison to healthy peers, children with a chronic condition experienced decreased life satisfaction and psychosomatic health, but internalising symptoms did not differ between groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown stringency was negatively associated with all indicators of mental wellbeing-worse life satisfaction, more internalising symptoms, and more psychosomatic symptoms.
AB - The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental wellbeing of children 8-18 years old with chronic conditions, by comparing pandemic data with pre-pandemic data and with healthy peers. Data were obtained from two ongoing longitudinal cohorts: the PROactive cohort study following children with a chronic condition, and the WHISTLER population cohort. Mental wellbeing was assessed by three indicators: life satisfaction, internalising symptoms, and psychosomatic health. The stringency of the COVID-19-related lockdown was considered a moderating factor. Data on chronic patients were recorded before (n = 934, 65% girls) and during (n = 503, 61% girls) the pandemic, and compared to healthy peers during the pandemic (n = 166, 61% girls). Children with a chronic condition reported lower life satisfaction, but no clinically relevant changes in internalising symptoms or psychosomatic health, during the pandemic compared to before. In comparison to healthy peers, children with a chronic condition experienced decreased life satisfaction and psychosomatic health, but internalising symptoms did not differ between groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown stringency was negatively associated with all indicators of mental wellbeing-worse life satisfaction, more internalising symptoms, and more psychosomatic symptoms.
KW - Adolescents
KW - COVID-19
KW - Child health
KW - Chronic disease
KW - Cohort study
KW - Mental wellbeing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125592966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph19052953
DO - 10.3390/ijerph19052953
M3 - Article
C2 - 35270646
SN - 1660-4601
VL - 19
JO - International journal of environmental research and public health
JF - International journal of environmental research and public health
IS - 5
M1 - 2953
ER -