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Publications

Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Ppublish 4 citations

PubMed: 38805375 DOI: 10.1177/21501319241255592

Parenting and Gender as Impact Factors for Social Participation, Quality of Life, and Mental Health in Long COVID.

J Prim Care Community Health 15:21501319241255592

Authors: Dominik Schröder, Tim Schmachtenberg, Stephanie Heinemann, Christina Müllenmeister, Sascha Roder, Iman El-Sayed, Gloria Heesen, Gloria Königs, Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka, Eva Hummers, Marie Mikuteit, Christian Dopfer, Simon Grewendorf, Jacqueline Niewolik, Sandra Steffens, Valerie Doze, Frank Klawonn, Frank Müller

Affiliations

  • Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
  • Department of Geriatrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
  • Department of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Bielefeld, Germany.
  • Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
  • German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany.
  • Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
  • Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
  • Department of Pediatrics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
  • Department of Computer Science, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Wolfenbuettel, Germany.
  • Biostatistics Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
  • Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to investigate the impact of gender and parental tasks on social participation, health-related quality of life (hrQoL), and mental health in persons with long COVID.

METHODS

A mixed-methods approach was followed including a cross-sectional web-based survey and semi-structured interviews. Multivariable linear regressions were used to quantify the effect of gender and parenting tasks on social participation, hrQoL, and mental health. Qualitative data from interviews with participants experiencing long COVID symptoms was analyzed using content analysis.

RESULTS

Data from 920 participants in the quantitative study and 25 participants in the qualitative study was analyzed. Parenting tasks were associated with increased impairments in family and domestic responsibilities in persons with long COVID compared to lower impairments in persons without long COVID ( = .02). The qualitative data indicate that coping with long COVID and pursuing parenting tasks limit participants' ability to perform leisure activities and attend social gatherings. In long COVID, men had higher anxiety symptoms than women, and in those without long COVID, the opposite was observed ( < .001). In the qualitative study, participants expressed feelings of dejection and pessimism about their future private, occupational, and health situations. No differences between the genders could be observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Long COVID is associated with impairments in family and domestic responsibilities in individuals who have parenting tasks. Among participants with long COVID, anxiety symptoms are higher in men than women.

MeSH

Quality Of Life, Parenting, Signs And Symptoms, Mental Health, Post-Acute Covid-19 Syndrome

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