Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
BMJ Open. 2023 Jun 1;13(6):e071023. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071023.
Globally, no person has been untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, little attention has been given to children and adolescents in policy, provision and services. Moreover, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding the impact of COVID-19-associated orphanhood and caregiver loss on children. This study aims to provide early insights into the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents experiencing orphanhood or caregiver loss in South Africa.
Data will be drawn from a quantitative longitudinal study in Cape Town, South Africa. A sample of children and adolescents between the ages of 9 and 18 years, experiencing parental or caregiver loss from COVID-19, will be recruited together with a comparison group of children in similar environments who did not experience loss. The study aims to recruit 500 children in both groups. Mental health and well-being among children will be explored through the use of validated and study-specific measures. Participants will be interviewed at two time points, with follow-up data being collected 12-18 months after baseline. A combination of analytical techniques (including descriptive statistics, regression modelling and structural equation modelling) will be used to understand the experience and inform future policy and service provision.
This study received ethical approval from the Health Research Ethics Committee at Stellenbosch University (N 22/04/040). Results will be disseminated via academic and policy publications, as well as national and international presentations including high-level meetings with technical experts. Findings will also be disseminated at a community level via various platforms.
在全球范围内，没有人能免受 COVID-19 大流行的影响。然而，政策、供应和服务中几乎没有关注到儿童和青少年。此外，关于 COVID-19 相关孤儿和照顾者丧失对儿童的影响知之甚少。本研究旨在提供南非经历孤儿或照顾者丧失的儿童和青少年心理健康和福祉的早期见解。
数据将来自南非开普敦的一项定量纵向研究。将招募年龄在 9 至 18 岁之间、因 COVID-19 而失去父母或照顾者的儿童和青少年样本，以及在类似环境中没有经历丧失的对照组儿童。该研究旨在招募两组各 500 名儿童。将通过使用经过验证和专门研究的措施来探索儿童的心理健康和福祉。参与者将在两个时间点接受访谈，在基线后 12-18 个月收集随访数据。将使用组合分析技术（包括描述性统计、回归建模和结构方程建模）来理解经验并为未来的政策和服务提供信息。
本研究获得了斯坦陵布什大学健康研究伦理委员会的伦理批准（N 22/04/040）。结果将通过学术和政策出版物以及国家和国际会议（包括与技术专家的高级别会议）进行传播。研究结果还将通过各种平台在社区层面进行传播。
