Impact of Covid-19 lockdown on the emotional health of schoolchildren in an urban Indian setting

BACKGROUND Public health measures taken to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic can potentially impact the mental health of children. We assessed the prevalence and risk factors for childhood depression during the Covid-19 lockdown. METHODS After 100 days of lockdown, we sent a survey questionnaire by WhatsApp to parents of school-aged children (5–16 years) in Chennai. The Short Mood and Feelings questionnaire was used as an objective screening tool to assess depression, with a score of 12 as the cut-off. RESULTS There were 874 responses. The prevalence of childhood depression was 13.7%. Girls were more likely to be depressed than boys; 11–16-year-olds were more likely to be depressed than 5–10-year-old children. Children who had more than 4 hours online education had a higher likelihood of depression. Those who used a cell phone for online classes had a higher likelihood of depression compared to other devices, such as tabs or laptops. Children who slept less than 8 hours a day had a higher likelihood of depression while those who either did not sleep in the afternoon or slept less than 1 hour had a lower likelihood of depression. Children who were interacting with family over 1 hour per day had a lower likelihood of depression. CONCLUSION Overzealous online education, lack of adequate sleep and failure to spend quality time with the family can negatively impact the mental health of children. The impact of Covid-19 on the emotional health of children should be addressed by public health policy-makers and healthcare professionals.