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COVID-19 Diary Study

05/08/2020 00:00:00

Completed

COVID-19Disaster Management

AcademicEpidemiology

COVID-19 Diary Study

Introduction

The COVID-19 Pandemic has resulted in a sudden and abrupt change to daily lives and routines of all children in Sri Lanka and most worldwide. Parents and children are confined to their homes as part of social distancing measures (e.g. working from home, curfew, schools and nurseries closure) to reduce the number of cases and eliminate human-to-human transmission. During this unprecedented time, it is extremely important to explore and understand the impact of the global pandemic on the children and their families. This will provide evidence-based guidance on how to manage family dynamics, reduce parents and children anxiety through tailored coping strategies and increased resilience for families around the world. It may also be possible that there are positive lessons to be learnt with regards to our lifestyles, from this extremely difficult period.

We are interested in the impact in young children between the ages of 18 months to 5 years. We believe that children in this age group are most likely notice the impact of the dramatic lifestyle changes than younger children (less than 18 months) but will also find it harder to comprehend than older children.

Aim

The study aims to explore and understand the perceived impact of COVID-19 global pandemic (including self-isolation and quarantine measures) on young children aged 18 months to 5 years, their main carer and family dynamics from the perspective of the parent/main carer, using daily diaries.

Ethical Approval

This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. ERC Application Number: ERC/2020/37

Information for Potential Participants

We would like to invite you to take part in this project. Please take some time to read this information sheet. Ask us if you would like more information. You are free to decide whether or not to take part. If you like to participate in this study or have any questions that are not answered here or prefer to discuss the project in more detail, please contact; Kalpani: 076 994 8257 Email: covid19.slcom@gmail.com

Why are we doing this project?

The COVID-19 Pandemic has resulted in a sudden and abrupt change to our daily lives and the routines of all children in the UK and most worldwide. Our families are confined to our homes as part of social distancing measures (e.g. working from home, schools and nurseries closure) and for most of us, this means being away from parents, grandparents, siblings and good friends. Some of us are facing uncertainty with our occupation and financial situations, whilst others have to deal with the pressures of having to work from home, without the usual childcare support. These dramatic changes can impact our well-being and for many of us, cause a great deal of anxiety. However, despite the immense concerns about the on-going pandemic, we might find there are some positive changes happening in our lives, like spending more time with our children. This project aims to understand the experiences of social distancing and impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on you, and your families.

Why am I being asked to take part?

We are interested to hear from parents with young children aged 18 months – 5 years. We believe that the experiences and impact on children within these ages is extremely important, as they are likely to be old enough to understand that something has changed, but perhaps too young to understand exactly what has changed.

What would I need to do if I take part?

If you are interested to take part, you will be asked to complete a diary via WhatsApp (see diagram for information).

Diary keeping has many benefits, e.g. help relieve stress and anxiety, self-reflection (focus on yourself and your feelings), meditation. Completing a diary via WhatsApp allows you to share stories, experiences and feelings in a safe and confidential space (only the research team have access to this information). It is also flexible – you can complete in your own time.

If you agree, we hope to share other people’s experiences and stories with you, as part of a support network.

What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the project?

Your participation is voluntary, and you are free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason.

Is the project confidential?

All the information you give us will be kept confidential and only used for research purposes. Only the research team will have access to this information.

You will not be identified in any reports/research papers. This means that we will not associate your name with things that have been said or happened during the research, when we write or talk about it. Data will be processed and handled in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations.

This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (No: ERC/2020/37).

Information Leaflet

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