tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMJ Paediatr Open
. 2024 Nov 21;8(1):e002926.
doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2024-002926. Lesson in understanding parents' perspective: perception of quality of care and COVID-19-related fears among users of paediatric health services over the COVID-19 pandemic in 11 facilities in Italy
Paolo Dalena[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Alessandro Zago[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Angela Troisi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Gian Luca Trobia[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Annunziata Lucarelli[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Silvia Bressan[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Silvia Fasoli[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Stefano Martelossi[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Riccardo Lubrano[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Roberta Parrino[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Enrico Felici[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Chiara Pilotto[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Idanna Sforzi[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Egidio Barbi[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Marzia Lazzerini[SUP] 1 15 [/SUP]; CHOICE Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had an important psychological impact on children and their families. This study aims to explore paediatric health services users' perceptions of quality of care (QOC) and COVID-19-related fears, and their evolution over time in relation to COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: In a multicentre cross-sectional study involving 11 public hospitals providing paediatric care across the Italian territory, we collected data from services users through a validated questionnaire. We analysed four indicators-(1) QOC perceived in relation to COVID-19; (2) overall QOC perceived; (3) fear of accessing health services due to COVID-19; (4) fear of contracting COVID-19 in hospital-and calculated Spearman's correlation indexes (ρ) with the number of COVID-19 new cases over time. Subgroup analyses were conducted by macroregions and single facility.
Results: Data from 956 services users were analysed. QOC indicators were stable over time at values close to the maximum (range 77-100 and median 100 for COVID-19 QOC, range 74-98 and median 80 for overall QOC), and no correlations were found with the COVID-19 new cases (ρ=-0.073 and -0.016, respectively). Fear of accessing care and fear of contracting the infection varied over time in between 0%-52% and 0%-53%, respectively, but did not correlate directly with number of COVID-19 new cases (ρ=0.101, 0.107 and 0.233, 0.046, respectively). At subgroup analyses, significantly higher frequencies of fear (p values <0.05) and lower QOC (p values <0.001) were reported in South Italy, and three facilities showed moderate correlation between these indicators.
Conclusions: COVID-19-related fears and perceived QOC may be mediated by more complex cultural and facility/regional-level factors, than simply by epidemic peaks. Subgroup analyses can help unpack major differences within the same country.
Keywords: COVID-19; adolescent health; caregivers; child health; epidemiology.
. 2024 Nov 21;8(1):e002926.
doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2024-002926. Lesson in understanding parents' perspective: perception of quality of care and COVID-19-related fears among users of paediatric health services over the COVID-19 pandemic in 11 facilities in Italy
Paolo Dalena[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Alessandro Zago[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Angela Troisi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Gian Luca Trobia[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Annunziata Lucarelli[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Silvia Bressan[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Silvia Fasoli[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Stefano Martelossi[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Riccardo Lubrano[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Roberta Parrino[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Enrico Felici[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Chiara Pilotto[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Idanna Sforzi[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Egidio Barbi[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Marzia Lazzerini[SUP] 1 15 [/SUP]; CHOICE Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
- PMID: 39577872
- DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2024-002926
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had an important psychological impact on children and their families. This study aims to explore paediatric health services users' perceptions of quality of care (QOC) and COVID-19-related fears, and their evolution over time in relation to COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: In a multicentre cross-sectional study involving 11 public hospitals providing paediatric care across the Italian territory, we collected data from services users through a validated questionnaire. We analysed four indicators-(1) QOC perceived in relation to COVID-19; (2) overall QOC perceived; (3) fear of accessing health services due to COVID-19; (4) fear of contracting COVID-19 in hospital-and calculated Spearman's correlation indexes (ρ) with the number of COVID-19 new cases over time. Subgroup analyses were conducted by macroregions and single facility.
Results: Data from 956 services users were analysed. QOC indicators were stable over time at values close to the maximum (range 77-100 and median 100 for COVID-19 QOC, range 74-98 and median 80 for overall QOC), and no correlations were found with the COVID-19 new cases (ρ=-0.073 and -0.016, respectively). Fear of accessing care and fear of contracting the infection varied over time in between 0%-52% and 0%-53%, respectively, but did not correlate directly with number of COVID-19 new cases (ρ=0.101, 0.107 and 0.233, 0.046, respectively). At subgroup analyses, significantly higher frequencies of fear (p values <0.05) and lower QOC (p values <0.001) were reported in South Italy, and three facilities showed moderate correlation between these indicators.
Conclusions: COVID-19-related fears and perceived QOC may be mediated by more complex cultural and facility/regional-level factors, than simply by epidemic peaks. Subgroup analyses can help unpack major differences within the same country.
Keywords: COVID-19; adolescent health; caregivers; child health; epidemiology.