Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria
School of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
BMJ Paediatr Open. 2022 Jun;6(1). doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001444.
Children have been relatively spared from the direct effects of COVID-19 globally, but there are significant concerns about indirect effects on the most vulnerable children's well-being. Nigeria is the largest African nation, but little is known about children's experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aims were to determine children's knowledge of COVID-19 and their mental health responses to the pandemic.
Children aged 6-17 years living in Calabar, Nigeria, were surveyed using a combination of online data collection assisted by parents and on-site data collection at schools. Parents filled out sociodemographic details, while children answered questions about COVID-19 knowledge and preventive measures. An adapted version of the 'Perceived Stress Scale for Children' was used to assess stress with additional free text space for expression of views and experiences of COVID-19.
A total of 265 children completed questionnaires, mean age was 12.5 years, 52.1% were girls. All children knew about the virus and over two-thirds (67.8%) had good knowledge of COVID-19 transmission. Children identified television (60.8%), parents (44.2%) and social media (32.8%), as main sources of COVID-19 information. The overall mean stress score among the children was 20.47. Children mentioned the following as stressors: fear of the COVID-19 disease, effect of pandemic restrictions on schooling and social interactions as well as home/family tensions. Parental love and support were overwhelmingly reported as strengths.
Nigerian children in this study had good knowledge and understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic and preventive measures to counter the virus. Children had high stress levels and expressed pandemic-related concerns but parental love and support were mitigating factors. Government and child health service providers need to tailor health and support services in response to children's needs and concerns.
在全球范围内，儿童受到 COVID-19 的直接影响相对较小，但人们对最脆弱儿童福祉的间接影响表示严重关切。尼日利亚是非洲最大的国家，但对于儿童对 COVID-19 大流行的体验知之甚少。我们的目的是确定儿童对 COVID-19 的了解程度，以及他们对大流行的心理健康反应。
在尼日利亚卡拉巴尔，对 6-17 岁的儿童进行了调查，调查方法是结合在线数据收集（由父母协助）和学校现场数据收集。父母填写了社会人口统计学详细信息，而儿童则回答了有关 COVID-19 知识和预防措施的问题。使用经过改编的“儿童感知压力量表”评估压力，同时为表达对 COVID-19 的看法和经历提供了额外的自由文本空间。
共有 265 名儿童完成了问卷，平均年龄为 12.5 岁，52.1%为女孩。所有儿童都知道这种病毒，超过三分之二（67.8%）对 COVID-19 的传播有很好的了解。儿童认为电视（60.8%）、父母（44.2%）和社交媒体（32.8%）是 COVID-19 信息的主要来源。儿童的总体平均压力得分为 20.47。儿童提到以下内容作为压力源：对 COVID-19 疾病的恐惧、大流行限制对学校教育和社交互动的影响以及家庭/家庭紧张。父母的爱和支持被压倒性地报道为优势。
在这项研究中，尼日利亚的儿童对 COVID-19 大流行及其预防措施有很好的了解。儿童的压力水平较高，并表达了与大流行相关的担忧，但父母的爱和支持是缓解因素。政府和儿童保健服务提供者需要根据儿童的需求和关注点调整卫生和支持服务。
