Moods have deteriorated among US hourly service workers and their children since the COVID-19 pandemic began—especially in those experiencing hardships, according to 30-day survey results published today in Pediatrics.Researchers at Duke University and Barnard College collected survey data from 645 workers living in a large city with a child 2 to 7 years old from Feb 20, before the US epidemic escalated, to Apr 27, when it was well under way.
A subsample of 561 parents completed a one-time survey on the effects of the pandemic on mental health from Mar 23 to Apr 26.Models showed that parent-reported feelings of well-being decreased significantly since the crisis began.