COVID-19 Mental Health Impacts Among Parents of Color and Parents of Children with Asthma.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether select social determinants of health and worries about COVID-19 resource losses mediated the relations between four parent groups: [1) non-Hispanic White (NHW) parents of children with asthma; 2) Black, Indigenous, or other Persons of Color (BIPOC) parents of healthy children; 3) BIPOC parents of children with asthma; and 4) NHW parents of healthy children (referent)] and parent anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19. METHODS: Parents (N = 321) completed online questionnaires about discrimination, anxiety, depression, and COVID-19 impacts on employment/income and access to food and health care. Mediation analyses were conducting using nonparametric bootstrapping procedures. RESULTS: BIPOC parents of children with and without asthma experienced greater anxiety and depression symptoms through greater discrimination compared to NHW parents of healthy children. BIPOC parents of children with asthma experienced greater anxiety symptoms, and both BIPOC groups experienced greater depression symptoms, through greater COVID-19 income losses. NHW parents of children with asthma and both BIPOC groups experienced greater anxiety and depression symptoms through greater worries about COVID-19 resource losses. CONCLUSIONS: The suffering of BIPOC parents, especially BIPOC parents of children with asthma, necessitates multi-level COVID-19 responses to address key drivers of health inequities.

Quality of Life in Adolescents and Young Adults With a Chronic Medical Condition: The Role of Perceived Maturity and Transition Readiness.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with a chronic medical condition (CMC) attending college must learn to manage their own healthcare (i.e., transition readiness). Maturity has been linked to positive outcomes in AYAs. Research has established a positive relationship between transition readiness and quality of life. The current study aimed to examine a model of perceived maturityàtransition readinessàmental and physical quality of life. METHOD: AYA (N = 153) with a CMC completed self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: The perceived maturity→transition readiness→mental quality of life indirect path was significant (ab = 1.96, 95% CI = 0.53 to 3.62). The perceived maturity→transition readiness→physical quality of life direct and indirect paths were not significant. DISCUSSION: Results showed that maturity and transition readiness are positively associated. Transition readiness may be one mechanism by which maturity results in enhanced quality of life. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Findings highlight the value of enhancing strengths such as maturity to promote AYA independence/autonomy.

Racial and ethnic differences in distress, discrimination, substance use coping, and nicotine use among parents during COVID-19.

This study identified contributing factors for tobacco-related inequities among parents (N = 331) during COVID-19. Compared to non-Hispanic White parents, Asian, Black, and multiracial parents experienced greater discrimination. Parents with a nicotine use history experienced greater discrimination and substance use coping relative to tobacco abstainers. Among parents who used nicotine during the pandemic (n = 45), experiencing financial loss, having COVID-19, and greater worries were positively associated with nicotine reductions during COVID-19. Being female, increased family members with COVID-19, discrimination, and substance use coping were negatively associated with nicotine reductions. Tobacco interventions that reduce substance use coping and increase alternative coping are needed.

COVID-19 Impacts on Families of Color and Families of Children With Asthma.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study quantified differences in (a) social determinants of health (SDOH) and perceived changes in SDOH during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and (b) COVID-19 psychosocial impacts across four groups: (a) non-Hispanic White (NHW) parents of children with asthma, (b) Black, Indigenous, or other People of Color (BIPOC) parents of healthy children, (c) BIPOC parents of children with asthma, and (d) NHW parents of healthy children (referent). The NIMHD Framework was used to identify SDOHs that may change for families during COVID-19. METHODS: Parents were recruited via Prolific (N = 321) and completed questions about COVID-19 family impacts on employment, income, access to food and healthcare, and psychosocial functioning, including discrimination. It was hypothesized that NHW families of children with asthma and BIPOC families would endorse greater negative outcomes relative to NHW parents of healthy children. RESULTS: BIPOC families experienced greater food insecurity and discrimination relative to NHW parents of healthy children. When compared with the NHW healthy group, COVID-19 resulted in greater parent-reported resource losses for both BIPOC groups and greater reductions in healthcare access for both asthma groups. Children with asthma and BIPOC children had greater distress surrounding COVID-19. BIPOC and NHW parents of children with asthma reported greater worries about resource losses due to COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic is widening inequities for BIPOC families, especially for families of children with asthma. These results highlight the need for interventions that address the needs of underserved communities, providing the infrastructure, policies, and supports needed to reduce health inequities during and after COVID-19.