Author:
Yu Wenya,Tian Jiahe,Li Panpan,Guo Zhichao,ZCM Dan,Li Meina,Ge Yang,Liu Xiang
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Missed or delayed child healthcare caused by the COVID-19 lockdown has threatened young children’s health and has had an unpredictable influence on caregivers’ child healthcare preferences. This study investigated caregivers’ child healthcare preferences and the factors that influence them among families with young children (0–3 years) during the lockdown in Shanghai.
Methods
Participants in this cross-sectional study were enrolled through random encounter sampling. Questionnaires were distributed online from June 1 to November 10, 2022, in Shanghai. A total of 477 valid questionnaires were received. The demographics of caregivers and their families, children’s characteristics, COVID-19-related information, and caregivers’ healthcare preferences were analyzed. The statistical analyses included frequency and percentage, chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regression.
Results
Caregivers preferred child healthcare professionals in the community health service system (CHS; 47.6%) followed by hospital pediatricians (40.0%) during lockdown. Caregivers with the following characteristics preferred CHS: those with an annual household income of CNY 200,000–300,000, those whose youngest children were aged 8–12 months, and those who experienced early childhood physical development issues. Caregivers preferred hospitals if they had experienced healthcare-seeking-related difficulties in accessing professional guidance from hospital pediatricians.
Conclusions
During pandemic lockdowns, policymakers should allocate more resources to CHS to meet caregivers’ childcare demands. Moreover, special attention should be given to the healthcare needs for CHS among families with specific demographics.
Trial registration
Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine School of Public Health (SJUPN-202,109; June 1, 2022).
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Shanghai Pujiang Program
Soft Science Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan
Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Program
Huangpu Health Commission Program
Foundation of Shanghai Baoshan Commission of Science and Technology
Baoshan District’s Key Medical Disciplines (Specialties) and Characteristic Brand Building Plan
Innovative Research Team of High-level Local University in Shanghai
Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China
Hangzhou Health Science and Technology Program
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC