Anxiety among children a year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a Brazilian cross-sectional online survey.

Aim: This study seeks to build upon a prior investigation into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety among Brazilian children, along with its associated factors, one year after the commencement of the pandemic. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: A survey was conducted from April­May 2021 in Brazil. Children aged 6­12 and their guardians from five Brazilian regions were included. The Children's Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ; scores 4­12) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS; scores 0­10) were used to measure anxiety. Results: Of the 906 children, 53.3% were girls (average age = 8.79 ± 2.05 years). Mothers responded for 87.1% of the children, and 70.9% were from the Southeast region. Based on a CAQ score of ≥9 and an NRS score of ≥8, the anxiety prevalence was 24.9 and 34.9%, respectively. Using logistic regression, a CAQ ≥9 score was associated with older children and children with chronic disease or disability. An NRS score of ≥8 was associated with reduced family income during the pandemic, the person caring for the children, and with children with chronic disease or disability. Conclusion: These findings suggest the need to implement public health actions aimed at children with chronic diseases and disabilities and their parents to guide them regarding the warning signs and negative emotions. This study contributes to characterizing the evolution of the pandemic in Brazil and provides a basis for comparison with the literature from other countries.

Children's Anxiety and Factors Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study Using the Children's Anxiety Questionnaire and the Numerical Rating Scale.

The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's lives deserve attention. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety among Brazilian children and its associated factors during social distancing during COVID-19. We used a cross-sectional design with an online survey from April to May 2020 in Brazil. We included children aged 6-12 years and their guardians. The Children's Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ; scores 4-12) and the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS; scores 0-10) were used to measure anxiety. We enrolled 157 girls and 132 boys, with a mean age of 8.84 (±2.05) years; 88.9% of respondents were mothers. Based on CAQ ≥ 9, the prevalence of anxiety was 19.4% (n = 56), and higher among children with parents with essential jobs and those who were social distancing without parents. In logistic regression, the following variables were associated with higher CAQ scores: social distancing without parents; more persons living together in home; and education level of guardians. Based on NRS > 7, the prevalence of anxiety was 21.8% (n = 63); however, no associations with NRS scores were found with the investigated variables. These findings suggest the necessity of implementing public health actions targeting these parents and their children at the population level.