Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38172971›Full record

ArticleChild and adolescent psychiatry and mental health2024

The experiences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young carers: practice implications and planning for future health emergencies.

D Hayes, D Fancourt, A Burton

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

3 authors.

D HayesThe Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, University College London (UCL), 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK. d.hayes@ucl.ac.uk.
D FancourtThe Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, University College London (UCL), 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK.
A BurtonThe Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, University College London (UCL), 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK.

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust [205407/Z/16/Z].
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYoung carers are children or young people aged up to 25 years old who undertake unpaid caring responsibilities for a friend or family member. Young carers faced significant challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored the impact of the pandemic and associated restrictions on mental health, wellbeing and access to support in young carers in the United Kingdom (UK) to understand how to improve services, as well as support this population in future health emergencies.

methodWe conducted 22 qualitative semi-structured interviews from May to November 2021 with 14 young carers and eight staff working in organisations that supported them. Interviews took place remotely over video or telephone call and explored participant experiences of the pandemic and its impact on their health, wellbeing and caring responsibilities. We used reflexive thematic analysis to analyse interview transcripts.

resultsWe identified four overarching themes pertaining to the impact of the pandemic and associated restrictions on mental health, wellbeing and access to support in young carers in the UK: (1) challenges in protecting loved ones from the virus, (2) changes to and loss of routine, (3) reduced access to pre-pandemic informal and formal support structures and (4) better understanding of inner resilience and goals. Many participants struggled with their mental health and wellbeing as a result of pandemic related restrictions which impacted on support structures for themselves and the individual they cared for. However, positive impacts pertained to additional support provided by local authority and third sector organisations.

conclusionsOur findings highlight some of the changes that affected young carers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of changes to routine and a reduction in pre-pandemic support were the greatest concerns reported by participants in this study. The additional support provided by local authority and third sector organisations during social restrictions suggests such organisations could play a greater role in supporting this population going forward and that schools and Governments may wish to put in additional strategies and provisions to protect young carers in the future.

Indexed as

COVID-19Health emergenciesMental healthQualitativeWellbeingYoung carers

Identifiers

PMID38172971
PMCPMC10765662

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.