Your browser doesn't support javascript.
How the mental health of working parents in Australia changed during COVID-19: A pre- to during pandemic longitudinal comparison.
Leach, Liana; Butterworth, Peter; Hokke, Stacey; Love, Jasmine; Bennetts, Shannon K; Crawford, Sharinne; Cooklin, Amanda.
  • Leach L; National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Australia. Electronic address: Liana.Leach@anu.edu.au.
  • Butterworth P; National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Australia.
  • Hokke S; Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Love J; Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Bennetts SK; Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Intergenerational Health Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Crawford S; Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Cooklin A; Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
J Affect Disord ; 325: 564-571, 2023 03 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2165463
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Cross-sectional studies indicate that mental health has deteriorated in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, including for parents. However, robust longitudinal studies interrogating change from before to during the pandemic remain rare. The current study analysed data from Australian parents surveyed in 2016 and August 2020. We investigate whether distress was higher in the COVID-19 period compared to pre-pandemic levels, and whether any increases in distress were greatest for parents living in Victoria (who had entered their second prolonged lockdown).

METHODS:

A community cohort of Australian working parents (n = 5197) was recruited online in 2016. In August 2020, 25.9 % (n = 1348) completed a follow-up survey. Analyses were restricted to those employed at both time-points (n = 1311). Random effects longitudinal models examined the association between time (i.e. pre vs. during-pandemic) and distress (K6 scale). Fixed effects models specifically tested change between time periods in association with change in distress.

LIMITATIONS:

The initial sample were recruited online with highly educate parents over-represented. Attrition between survey time-points may also limit generalisability.

RESULTS:

All models consistently showed that the pandemic period was associated with greater distress. Overall, serious mental illness (i.e. K6 score ≥ 18) increased by 5.3 percentage points (from 8.0 to 13.3). This increase was greater (by 4.7 percentage points) for those parents in Victoria.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study is one of few to longitudinally assess mental health pre- to during the pandemic. Psychological distress and serious mental illness increased for Australian working parents, and this effect was greatest for those experiencing a prolonged lockdown in Victoria.
Subject(s)
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pandemics / COVID-19 Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: Oceania Language: English Journal: J Affect Disord Year: 2023 Document Type: Article

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS


Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pandemics / COVID-19 Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: Oceania Language: English Journal: J Affect Disord Year: 2023 Document Type: Article