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A new Canadian study has tracked the changes the coronavirus epidemic has brought to maternal mental health.
The study conducted by the Canadian University of Calgary on the impact of the epidemic on maternal mental health found that symptoms of depression have almost doubled since last year, according to Canadian “CTV News”.
The network added in a report released Thursday that the All Our Families project, which has followed nearly 3,000 Alberta mothers and their children over the past 12 years, found that the rate of depression reached 35% between May and July. The latter two, a 19% increase from pre-epidemic levels recorded between 2017 and 2019.
The study first tested mothers when they were pregnant, but now their children are between 9 and 11 years old, and as a result, this group offers a “unique opportunity” for researchers monitoring the epidemic, according to the. network.
One of the study’s researchers, Dr. Sherry Madigan, said: “Data collected between May and July 2020 highlights a very difficult time for families as everything has been closed, many jobs have been lost and childcare services have stopped. Parents used to study for their children at home, and often did so at the same time as homework.
Clinical psychologist Dr Nicole Racine, one of the study participants, added: “Although some responsibilities are balanced between fathers and mothers, mothers always carry the heaviest burden, which is likely to contribute. to the additional difficulties of their mental health. ”
The study found that a major stressor was the lack of social support women received when visiting family and friends.
“I have to take care of my children and I am also concerned about the health of my parents, but I cannot go and visit them and help them because it puts them at risk,” Madigan said.
She noted that a new survey of families was conducted to see if feelings of anxiety and depression have changed or not in the past year.
And she continued, “We predict that the fourth wave of the epidemic will be a wave of mental health, and that this problem will last for a very long time. Therefore, several things need to be done to support mental health and well-being. mothers during the community virus recovery process. “
The study recommended the need to increase support for mothers’ mental health, including available online resources, programs to preserve housing and their basic needs, and the establishment of flexible working arrangements to allow fathers to look after their children and educate them at home if necessary.
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