ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the psychological and behavior status of minor children of medical staff in Hubei province during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted through WeChat from March 13 to 15, 2020, which included a general data questionnaire and Conners parental assessment questionnaire (PSQ). The questionnaires received from outside of Hubei province were excluded through IP address, and the questionnaires with answer time <150 s were also excluded. The influence of parental work status on the psychological behavior was analyzed in children of different age groups. RESULTS: A total of 391 valid questionnaires were collected, there were 207 males (52.9%) and 184 females (47.1%); 91 (23.3%) aged 3 to 6, 183 (46.8%) aged 6 to 10, and 117 (29.9%) aged 10 to 16. Both parents were medical staff in 87 participants(22.3%), one parent was medical staff in 139(35.5%) participants, and no parents were medical staff in 165 (42.2%) participants. In 3-<6 years group, there was no significant difference in the PSQ scores of the children in each factor level (all P>0.05) between children with parents as medical staff and those without. In 6-<10 years group, children with both parents as medical staff had higher hyperactivity-impulse factor score, learning problem factor score and total score than those without parents as medical staff (all P<0.05), while they had higher learning problem factor score than those with one parent as medical staff (P<0.05); the anxiety score of children with one or both parents as medical staff was higher than that of those without parents as medical staff (all P<0.05). In 10 to 16 years group, the behavior problems, learning problems, hyperactivity-impulse, more dynamic index and the total score in children with one parent as medical staff were lower than those with both parents as medical staff or without parents as medical staff (P<0.05 or P<0.01); while there were no significant differences in psychosomatic problems, anxiety factor scores between children with one parent as medical staff and other two groups (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: s During COVID-19 epidemic period, the psychological and behavior status of minor children of Hubei medical staff with different ages shows differences with those without parents as medical staff, particularly in 6-<10 years and 10 to 16 year groups. It is necessary to pay attention to the psychological and behavioral status of children of medical staff in these age groups.
