Caregivers' perceptions of access to specialized outpatient services for children born from mothers diagnosed with COVID-19
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17267/2238-2704rpf.2025.e6209Keywords:
COVID-19, Child Development, Outpatient Care, Food Insecurity, Exposure to ViolenceAbstract
INTRODUCTION: Children born from mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 may face developmental challenges that require multidisciplinary care. OBJECTIVE: To understand access to specialized outpatient services for children born from mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 and assess their development and family context. METHODS: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study conducted with children of both sexes, aged 2–3 years, born from mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy. Stage 1 consisted of developmental risk screening performed in the first year of life using the Brazilian version of the Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children. Stage 2, carried out two years later, involved semi-structured phone interviews with caregivers addressing access to specialized services and child development. The quantitative analysis included data from both stages, whereas the qualitative analysis focused on responses from the Stage 2 interviews. Descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS 20.0, and qualitative data were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Of 14 children included, six were identified as at risk for developmental delay in Stage 1, of whom two accessed specialized outpatient services. In Stage 2, eight caregivers reported concerns about delays in developmental milestones, half of whom had already been classified at risk in Stage 1. Among these, two were referred for outpatient follow-up. Regarding the family context in Stage 2, nearly half of the children were at risk of food insecurity, and some caregivers reported a need for psychological support and family violence. CONCLUSION: Caregivers’ perceptions highlight limited access to outpatient services, and a complex family context marked by food insecurity and violence.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Maria Clara Lima da Cruz, Pedro Ykaro Fialho Silva, Isabelly Cristina Rodrigues Regalado Moura, Klayton Galante Sousa, Beatriz de Oliveira Silva, Ingrid Guerra Azevedo, Silvana Alves Pereira
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
