Time at Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Focus Groups with Hispanic Parents.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended family life, forcing many families to reorganize their daily routines. Hispanic families have been especially affected by the pandemic, experiencing cumulative stressors and increased risks of contracting the virus, hospitalization, and morbidity. To date, there is limited research examining home life within Hispanic families during the pandemic. Given the extended amount of time for which families have been isolated at home together, identifying factors that may enhance or detract from well-being within the home is important in advancing efforts to support at-risk families. In this qualitative study, 29 Hispanic parents (primarily mothers) living in California participated in one of eight focus groups conducted in Spanish. Parents described activities and behaviors during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following six themes were identified using reflexive thematic analysis: (1) parents focused on family time; (2) children adapted to the changes of the pandemic; (3) parents and children engaged in physical activity; (4) children mainly entertained themselves with screens; (5) COVID-19 media coverage was accessible in the home; and (6) parents worried about the virus, and its effects on the future. While findings include anxiety around the virus and its attendant effects, family strengths were also present throughout the discussions. Public policy should consider ways to leverage family strengths to preserve family relationships and routines during future public health crises.

"It's Been Negative for Us Just All the Way Across the Board": Focus Group Study Exploring Parent Perceptions of Child Screen Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Child screen time (ST) has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic as lockdowns and restrictions have forced changes to regular family routines. It is important to investigate how families are navigating ST. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore families' experiences of ST during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Virtual focus group sessions were conducted between December 2020 and February 2021 in English and Spanish. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: In total, 48 parents (predominantly Hispanic) residing in California participated in 1 of 14 focus group sessions. Children were attending school remotely at the time of the study. A total of 6 themes and 1 subtheme were identified: (1) total ST has increased; (2) children are too attached to screens; (3) ST has advantages and disadvantages but parents perceive ST as mostly negative; (4) parents and children have limited options; (5) ST restrictions (subtheme: children react negatively when ST is restricted); and (6) parents are concerned that children are not getting enough exercise. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a cross-sectional insight into how family life has changed with regard to ST during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents expressed concerns about total ST, the addictive nature of it, and lack of physical activity. It is important that future studies examine the long-term effects of heavy ST and preemptively introduce ways to redirect children's ST habits as the country attempts to establish a new normal.

Family Food Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, with its cyclical lockdown restrictions and school closures, has influenced family life. The home, work, and school environments have collided and merged to form a new normal for many families. This merging extends into the family food environment, and little is known about how families are currently navigating this landscape. The objective of the present study was to describe families' adaptations in the family food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Parents participated in one of 14 virtual focus groups (conducted in English and Spanish between December 2020 and February 2021). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. RESULTS: Forty-eight parents (81% Hispanic and SES diverse) participated. Five themes and one subtheme were identified around changes in eating habits and mealtime frequency, increases in snacking, family connectedness at mealtimes, and use of screens at meals. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the family food environment. Families shared how their eating habits have changed and that device usage increased at mealtimes. Some changes (e.g., weight gain) may have lasting health implications for both children and parents. Public health officials, pediatricians, and schools should work with families to resume healthy habits post pandemic.