To examine the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural parental stress and family behaviors, parents who participated in a 2nd-4th grade pediatric obesity intervention completed a survey in May 2020. Parents (N=77) experienced 7.8±2.7 events on the COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Scales (CEFIS) with an average impact of 2.5±0.5, with many parents reporting moderate stress (73%). Parental stress was predictive of personal well-being getting 'worse' while loss of income events were predictive of family routines getting 'better.' Professionals working with rural families may want to assess for these factors when promoting positive changes in family health behaviors.
Keywords: SARS-COV2; coronavirus; diet; exercise; nutrition; physical activity; rural; stress.