79 - Children and COVID-19: A Primary Care Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted many children and their families. This study documents several aspects of caregivers’ (CGs) perspectives of COVID-19’s putative effects on children and their families. Study surveys were administered as children visited their child’s primary care pediatrician.

Objective:

To document the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on children and their families seen in pediatric primary care offices.

Design/Methods: A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of children seen at primary care offices within the Southwestern Ohio Ambulatory Research Network (SOAR-Net). Study CGs were recruited in waiting rooms of participating SOAR-Net practices from June 2021-November 2022. This analysis examines the reported impact of COVID-19 on children and their families, as part of a larger study that examines childhood underinsurance.

Results:

This analysis focused on 810 CGs who completed the survey. Response rate was about 80% and about 1 in 5 (20.4%) children were already vaccinated. CGs of unvaccinated/unlikely to be vaccinated children were more likely to report the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on income (39.4%) compared to CGs of vaccinated/likely to be vaccinated children (24.5%, P< 0.001). Six percent of unvaccinated/unlikely to get vaccinated children were unable to make or keep an appointment because of trouble paying, compared to 2.7% of children who were vaccinated/likely to get vaccinated (P=0.026). Vaccinated CGs were far more likely to vaccinate their children (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 13.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.0-19.9) compared to unvaccinated CGs. CGs who did not complete college were less likely to vaccinate their children (AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.2) than CGs who were college graduates. CGs of elementary school and high school age children were more likely to report the pandemic had negative effects on school performance and mental health compared to children < 5 years old (Table 1). CG reported effects of the pandemic on school performance and mental health of elementary aged children were not significantly different compared to high school aged children

Conclusion(s):

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected family finances as well as access to care, and mental health for a large number of children and families seen in primary care settings. CG vaccination and education status were strongly related to vaccination status of index children. Future research should examine the longitudinal effects of COVID-19 on children and their families.