Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37024854›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2023

Exploring the experience of family caregivers of children with medical complexity during COVID-19: a qualitative study.

Natalie Pitch, Laura Davidson, Samantha Mekhuri, Richa Patel, Selvi Patel, Munazzah Ambreen, Reshma Amin

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. The COVID-19 pandemic and asthma management: a family caregiver perspective.The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Natalie PitchDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada. natalie.pitch@mail.utoronto.ca.
Laura DavidsonDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Samantha MekhuriDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Richa PatelDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Selvi PatelDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Munazzah AmbreenDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Reshma AminDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 4539 Hill Wing, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Hospital for Sick Children · CAInstitute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesChildren with medical complexity have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated changes in healthcare delivery. The primary objective of this study was to gain a thorough understanding of the lived experiences of family caregivers of children with medical complexity during the pandemic.

methodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with family caregivers of children with medical complexity from a tertiary pediatric hospital. Interview questions focused on the aspects of caregiving for children with medical complexity, impact on caregiver mental and physical well-being, changes to daily life secondary to the pandemic, and experiences receiving care in the healthcare system. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was achieved. Interviews were audio recorded, deidentified, transcribed verbatim, coded and analyzed using content analysis.

resultsTwelve semi-structured interviews were conducted. The interviews revealed three major themes and several associated subthemes: (1) experiences with the healthcare system amid the pandemic (lack of access to healthcare services and increased hospital restrictions, negative clinical interactions and communication breakdowns, virtual care use); (2) common challenges during the pandemic (financial strain, balancing multiple roles, inadequate homecare nursing); and (3) the pandemic's impact on family caregiver well-being (mental toll, physical toll).

conclusionsFamily caregivers of children with medical complexity experienced mental and physical burden due to the intense nature of their caregiving responsibilities that were exacerbated during the pandemic. Our results highlight key priorities for the development of effective interventions to support family caregivers and their children.

Indexed as

CaregiversCOVID-19ChildCommunicationHumansPandemicsQualitative ResearchCaregiver burdenChildren with medical complexityCOVID-19 pandemicFamily caregivers

Identifiers

PMID37024854
PMCPMC10077324
OpenAlexW4362668803

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.