Ethnicity matters in perceived impacts and information sources of COVID-19 among mothers with young children in Australia: a cross-sectional study

Li Ming Wen; Huilan Xu; Danielle Jawad; Limin Buchanan; Chris Rissel; Philayrath Phongsavan; Louise A Baur; Sarah Taki

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050557

Ethnicity matters in perceived impacts and information sources of COVID-19 among mothers with young children in Australia: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open. 2021 Nov 25;11(11):e050557. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050557.

Authors

Li Ming Wen^{1

2

3

4

5}, Huilan Xu², Danielle Jawad², Limin Buchanan^{6

2

3

5}, Chris Rissel⁶, Philayrath Phongsavan^{6

4}, Louise A Baur^{6

4

5

7}, Sarah Taki^{6

2

3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Liming.Wen@health.nsw.gov.au.
² Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Their Families, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH), The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁶ Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁷ The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate perceived impacts, ways of communication with professionals and information sources related to COVID-19, and explore whether these impacts or information sources were associated with ethnicity that is, language spoken at home.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Sydney, Australia during the period from March to October 2020.

Participants: Mothers of young children participating in an existing trial.

Outcome measures: Mothers were asked to respond to a set of survey questions related to COVID-19 via telephone. The questions included a mental health scale, and how they communicated with health professionals and their information sources related to COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Of 537 mothers who completed the survey (81% response rate), 45% reported they spoke a language other than English at home. Overall, 136 (26%) reported experiencing mental distress. 234 (44%) reported that COVID-19 affected the way they receive and communicate health-related information with health professionals, especially for those from non-English speaking backgrounds with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.58 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.27). They were less likely to use a face-to-face service (AOR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.80) and more likely to use social media (AOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.40 to 3.17) for health-related information. Regarding sources of COVID-19-related information, mothers from non-English-speaking backgrounds were more likely to rely on family members (AOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.19) and social media (AOR 3.34, 95% CI 2.05 to 5.43).

Conclusions: COVID-19 has significantly impacted mothers with young children in regard to their mental health, means of communication with health professionals and sources of health information. Mothers from non-English-speaking communities were less likely to use a face-to-face service, and more likely to seek information from family members and social media. Appropriate health support for non-English-speaking community needs to take these factors into account.

Trial registration number: ANZCTR:12618001571268.they.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental health; public health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Ethnicity
Female
Humans
Mothers
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2

Associated data

ANZCTR/12618001571268