Children's Health and Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

The COVID-19 has caused challenges at all levels of society. It is necessary to, while carefully looking at impact that COVID-19 will have on children's health and well-being, and to steadily implement social work services accordingly. This paper highlights some key challenges and concerns for health and well-being on children and adolescents in Japan during COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this paper is to consider how the COVID-19 pandemic and the policy taken to mitigating the risk of COVID-19 have impacted children in Japan. In conclusion, we are not saying that COVID-19 policy responses such as school closures overall are ineffective for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. However, as we have seen, school closing policy is likely to have a negative impact on children’s health and well-being such as increased risks of mental health, abuse and suicide. The important point is that these impacts is not the impact of COVID-19 but the impact of the policy responses to COVID-19. The policy responses are likely to lead to a range of unexpected impacts and results. Therefore, policy makers, social workers and other professionals always should consider for the impact of policy responses to COVID-19 on children and adolescents.

Download Full-text

Dynamics of Parental Opioid Use and Children's Health and Well-Being: An Integrative Systems Mapping Approach

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687641 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica C. Smith ◽

Leigh Alderman ◽

Brandon K. Attell ◽

Wendy Avila Rodriguez ◽

Jana Covington ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Mapping Approach ◽

Systems Mapping ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

The seemingly intractable opioid epidemic compels researchers, the media, and families to better understand the causes and effects of this complex and evolving public health crisis. The effects of this crisis on people using opioids, maternal prenatal opioid exposure, and neonatal abstinence syndrome are well-documented, but less is known about the impact of caregivers' opioid use on children's health and well-being. One challenge to understanding the effects of parental opioid use disorder (OUD) on child and adolescent outcomes is the numerous interrelated pathways in which a child's health and well-being can be impacted. To better understand these dynamic relationships, we applied a systems mapping approach to visualize complex patterns and interactions between pathways and potential leverage points for interventions. Specifically, we developed a causal loop diagram system map to elucidate the complex and interconnected relationships between parental OUD, social determinants of health at the family and socio-environmental levels, family strengths, social supports, and possible adverse impacts on children's physical and mental health and risks for future substance misuse. The goals of this research are to (1) identify factors and dynamics that contribute to the relationship between parental OUD and children's health and well-being and (2) illustrate how systems mapping as a tool can aid in understanding the complex factors and dynamics of the system(s) that influence the well-being of children and their parents or primary caregivers.

Download Full-text

The cost of school holidays for children from low income families

Childhood ◽

10.1177/0907568218779130 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 516-529 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Hilary Stewart ◽

Nick Watson ◽

Mhairi Campbell

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Well Being ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Limited Access ◽

Low Income Families ◽

The Cost ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

School holidays can be stressful periods for children from low-income families. Poor provision of appropriate childcare, limited access to enrichment activities, and food insecurity mean that children’s health and well-being can suffer and their learning stagnate or decline. This article examines and documents the evidence that has emerged on this topic and aims to raise its profile and the impact on children’s lives. It makes the case for further academic scrutiny of this unexamined and neglected subject.

Download Full-text

Parenting among Settled Migrants from Southern Africa: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

Journal of Child and Family Studies ◽

10.1007/s10826-021-02013-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ruvimbo Machaka ◽

Ruth Barley ◽

Laura Serrant ◽

Penny Furness ◽

Margaret Dunham

Keyword(s):

Extended Family ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Well Being ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽

Raising Children ◽

Global North ◽

Need For Support ◽

Health And Well Being

AbstractThe Global North has over the years been a popular destination for migrants from the Global South. Most of the migrants are in their reproductive ages who go on to bear and raise children. The differences and subjectivity in the context of their experiences may have an impact on how they ensure that their children have the best possible health and well-being. This paper synthesises 14 qualitative research papers, conducted in 6 Global North countries. We gathered evidence on settled Southern African migrants experiences of bearing and raising children in Global North destination countries and how they conceptualise sustaining children’s health and well-being. Results of the review indicated a concerning need for support in sustaining children’s health and well-being. Cultural and religious beliefs underpin how the parents in these studies raise their children. More research is needed which engages with fathers and extended family.

Download Full-text

Impact of COVID-19 on the Health and Well-being of Informal Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Rapid Systematic Review

Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine ◽

10.1177/23337214211020164 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 233372142110201

Author(s):

M. Courtney Hughes ◽

Yujun Liu ◽

Abby Baumbach

Keyword(s):

Negative Impact ◽

Living Arrangement ◽

Informal Caregivers ◽

Well Being ◽

Rapid Review ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Psychosocial Resilience ◽

Quantitative Descriptive ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

Background: In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or COVID-19, raised worldwide concern. Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively influenced health and wellness across the globe and caused nearly three million deaths. This study focuses on informal caregivers of people with dementia, a disease that affects about 50 million older adults worldwide and requires much caregiving support. Objective: Examine the current literature on the impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of informal caregivers for people with dementia. Method: This rapid review was conducted across five electronic databases for quantitative and qualitative articles published through March 15, 2021. Results: The 10 studies included in this review reported quantitative descriptive data from across the globe; however, no studies existed from the U.S. or East Asia countries. All of the studies examined the psychological rather than physical impact of COVID-19 and highlighted risk and protective factors in the areas of psychosocial (resilience, neuropsychiatric, and social isolation), sociodemographic (gender and education), and environmental (home confinement, living arrangement, and dementia stage). Conclusion: COVID-19 has had a considerable negative impact on the psychological well-being of informal caregivers of people with dementia, namely causing more depression and anxiety than pre-pandemic.

Download Full-text