ABSTRACT
Background: Telelactation, a virtual lactation support platform, is a convenient and effective way of providing virtual breastfeeding support services and communicating proper breastfeeding techniques to new mothers to address any breastfeeding challenges and boost overall maternal breastfeeding confidence all from the comfort of their homes. This Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covered service benefits more mothers in the remote areas where in-person LC service is not easily accessible. Objective: The objective of this cross-sectional survey study is to explore the feasibility, potential benefits, and challenges, and level of patient satisfaction in virtual lactation consultation services along with virtual paediatrician consultation available in Ontario, Canada. Method: Patient satisfaction was assessed using a structured online survey as a part of a cross-sectional observational study that asked questions relevant to several independent demographic variables as well as specific Likert type scale questions to gauge patient satisfaction with virtual lactation consultation. Results: Data were analyzed from 177 survey responses (n=177), of which study revealed that 86.44% (153/177) were satisfied with the virtual lactation services they received. Patient satisfaction was found to be higher in the first-time mothers with high school or undergraduate education between the age group of 26 to 35 years living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In terms of connectivity, participants from the GTA had a better experience overall compared those living outside the GTA. Conclusion: OHIP covered telelactation with a paediatrician consultation is an innovative and feasible health care delivery platform for providing remote professional breastfeeding support to mothers of all socio-economic strata with great potential to further improve both patient experience and efficiency in patient care.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of Ontario's youth. Our study investigated the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on the pediatric population of Ontario, using a survey derived from the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) system to identify children who may benefit from seeking professional help. Our cross-sectional study examined the potential risk factors that contributed to worsening mental health and wellbeing in children, including changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and physical activity levels, as well as the diagnosis of a family member with COVID-19. Our study found that 24%, 9.4%, and 15.5% of participants exhibited symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), respectively, according to the RCADS system. Furthermore, there were significant associations between the presence of symptoms and the diagnosis of a family member with COVID-19 or a frontline worker in the family. This suggests a need to create interventions to support the families of frontline workers and those directly affected by a COVID-19 diagnosis.
