Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthy of children and families in Italy. Qualitative EPaS-ISS study

BACKGROUND: This study is the qualitative component of a national research carried out in collaboration with the WHO/Europe Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative. The aim was to explore the COVID-19 pandemic effects on health behaviours, needs, and psychosocial resources of children and their family in Italy. METHODS: According to the convergent parallel mixed-method, this qualitative study was carried out simultaneously with the quantitative one. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit parents, teachers, key respondents and children. The data were collected by online focus groups (FG) except the FG with children. FGs transcriptions were analysed through a categorical approach using NVivo. RESULTS: Six FGs were conducted between April-May 2022 (65 adults; 14 children). Participants highlight how the pandemic had consequences at multiple levels: individual, family, community and social. At the individual level, data showed how thinning out interpersonal relationships and emotional experiences affected children's psychosocial well-being and learning. As for nutrition, it was observed that food was used as both an emotional comfort (e.g. snack consumption) and an opportunity for family aggregation. The ban on going out and social distancing penalized movement and sport. The lack of physical activity and changes in daily routines also affected sleeping. The screen exposure increased due to distance learning and video calls; parents reported excessive use of video games and a difficulty in limiting screen time. The impact of the closures on foreign children and from deprived backgrounds, including school dropouts, was also an issue. Creative play, care of plants and animals, and activities with the family were some of the resources emerging. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative perspective enriches research on changes in children and families’ habits during the pandemic, showing needs and difficulties and suggesting some necessary actions for the health and education systems. KEY MESSAGES: • The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on children that might persist beyond the pandemic period. • Health and education policies must offer a compensatory response to the children and families’ needs.