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Crisis response among essential workers and their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sugg, Margaret M; Runkle, Jennifer D; Andersen, Lauren; Weiser, Jaclyn; Michael, Kurt D.
  • Sugg MM; Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, P.O. Box 32066, Boone, North Carolina 28608, United States. Electronic address: kovachmm@appstate.edu.
  • Runkle JD; North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, North Carolina State University, 151 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801, United States.
  • Andersen L; Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, P.O. Box 32066, Boone, North Carolina 28608, United States.
  • Weiser J; Crisis Text Line, PO Box 1144, New York, NY 10159, United States.
  • Michael KD; Department of Psychology, Appalachian State University, P.O. Box 32109, Boone, North Carolina 28608, United States.
Prev Med ; 153: 106852, 2021 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1525993
ABSTRACT
Limited research has been conducted on the mental health concerns of frontline and essential workers and their children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (U.S.). This study examined the association between working on the frontlines in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic (March to July 2020) and personal crisis text concerns (e.g., self-harm, suicidal thoughts, anxiety/stress, and substance abuse) for frontline essential workers and the children of frontline workers. We used a novel data set from a crisis texting service, Crisis Text Line (CTL), that is widely used throughout the U.S. Generalized Estimating Equations examined the individual association between eight specific crisis types (Depression, Stress/Anxiety, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Substance Abuse, Isolation, Relationship Issues, and Abuse) and being in frontline work or being a child of a frontline worker during the early phase of the pandemic. Using CTL concerns as a proxy for the prevalence of mental health issues, we found that children of workers, specifically the youngest demographic (13 years and under), females, and non-conforming youth had a higher risk of specific crisis events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Hispanic children of workers reported higher rates of stress/anxiety, whereas African American children of workers had higher rates of abuse and depression. Frontline workers had a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, and the risk of crisis events was generally highest for non-binary, transgender, and male users. Increases in CTL usage among frontline workers were noted across 7-28 days after spikes in local COVID-19 cases. The research to date has focused on the mental health of frontline essential workers, but our study highlights troubling trends in psychological stress among children of these workers. Supportive interventions and mental health resources are needed not only for frontline essential workers, but for their children too.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pandemics / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adolescent / Child / Female / Humans / Male Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: Prev Med Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pandemics / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adolescent / Child / Female / Humans / Male Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: Prev Med Year: 2021 Document Type: Article