The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families
The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted youth with chronic physical illness (CPI) and their caregivers. Emerging research aimed at understanding the impacts of the pandemic on this population is predominantly quantitative, lacking qualitative insights. This study used a qualitative approac...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Psychiatry International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/6/2/66 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849425340186755072 |
|---|---|
| author | Reese Parks Chloe Bedard Jennifer Yessis Samantha B. Meyer Mark A. Ferro |
| author_facet | Reese Parks Chloe Bedard Jennifer Yessis Samantha B. Meyer Mark A. Ferro |
| author_sort | Reese Parks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted youth with chronic physical illness (CPI) and their caregivers. Emerging research aimed at understanding the impacts of the pandemic on this population is predominantly quantitative, lacking qualitative insights. This study used a qualitative approach to examine the experiences of COVID-19 among youth with CPI and their families, exploring how the pandemic impacted their mental health and use of mental health services. Using a constructivist paradigm and a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with youth with CPI (<i>n</i> = 8) and their primary caregiver (<i>n</i> = 13) between March 2021 and May 2021. Thematic analysis was used to identify three key themes: (1) mental health impact on youth, (2) caregiver mental health declines, and (3) variability in the experiences of mental healthcare. The findings highlight the heightened depression, anxiety, and stress among youth with CPI and their caregivers, exacerbated by loneliness, uncertainty, and social restrictions, while also revealing that virtual mental healthcare was perceived as less effective than in-person care, which was valued for its human connection, privacy, and comfort. These results emphasize the need for improved, comprehensive mental healthcare and the adoption of family-centred care models to strengthen caregiver–youth relationships and better integrate physical and mental healthcare to improve health outcomes for this population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf62cf627d294dcfb7c7d9138a338522 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-5318 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychiatry International |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf62cf627d294dcfb7c7d9138a3385222025-08-20T03:29:48ZengMDPI AGPsychiatry International2673-53182025-06-01626610.3390/psychiatryint6020066The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their FamiliesReese Parks0Chloe Bedard1Jennifer Yessis2Samantha B. Meyer3Mark A. Ferro4School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaGrand Erie District School Board, Brantford, ON N3T 5V3, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaThe COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted youth with chronic physical illness (CPI) and their caregivers. Emerging research aimed at understanding the impacts of the pandemic on this population is predominantly quantitative, lacking qualitative insights. This study used a qualitative approach to examine the experiences of COVID-19 among youth with CPI and their families, exploring how the pandemic impacted their mental health and use of mental health services. Using a constructivist paradigm and a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with youth with CPI (<i>n</i> = 8) and their primary caregiver (<i>n</i> = 13) between March 2021 and May 2021. Thematic analysis was used to identify three key themes: (1) mental health impact on youth, (2) caregiver mental health declines, and (3) variability in the experiences of mental healthcare. The findings highlight the heightened depression, anxiety, and stress among youth with CPI and their caregivers, exacerbated by loneliness, uncertainty, and social restrictions, while also revealing that virtual mental healthcare was perceived as less effective than in-person care, which was valued for its human connection, privacy, and comfort. These results emphasize the need for improved, comprehensive mental healthcare and the adoption of family-centred care models to strengthen caregiver–youth relationships and better integrate physical and mental healthcare to improve health outcomes for this population.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/6/2/66pandemiccaregiverssocial isolationstressqualitative |
| spellingShingle | Reese Parks Chloe Bedard Jennifer Yessis Samantha B. Meyer Mark A. Ferro The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families Psychiatry International pandemic caregivers social isolation stress qualitative |
| title | The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families |
| title_full | The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families |
| title_short | The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Healthcare in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness and Their Families |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 on mental health and healthcare in youth with chronic physical illness and their families |
| topic | pandemic caregivers social isolation stress qualitative |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/6/2/66 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT reeseparks theimpactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT chloebedard theimpactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT jenniferyessis theimpactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT samanthabmeyer theimpactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT markaferro theimpactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT reeseparks impactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT chloebedard impactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT jenniferyessis impactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT samanthabmeyer impactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies AT markaferro impactofcovid19onmentalhealthandhealthcareinyouthwithchronicphysicalillnessandtheirfamilies |