Abstract
PurposeThe world saw a shift into a new society consequent to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which made home quarantine mandatory for a person in close contact with those who tested positive. For children, however, home quarantine was not limited only to themselves but parents, especially mothers were involved and required to quarantine. This qualitative study aimed to explore and understand mothers’ experience and their related psychosocial issues while caring for their school-aged children in Korea, who had to home quarantine after coming in close contact with COVID-19 positive individuals.MethodsData were collected from October 2020 to January 2021 via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with nine mothers of children who had to home quarantine. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in an independent space near the participant’s home or workplace (n=5) or via online platforms or telephone (n=4). The data were analyzed using thematic analysis through several iterative team meetings.ResultsThematic analysis revealed the following four themes: “Unable to be relieved due to uncertain situations surrounding me,” “Blame and hurt toward me, others, and one another,” “Pulling myself together for my children in my broken daily life,” and “Changes in the meaning of life amid COVID-19.”ConclusionThe narratives show that mothers experienced psychosocial difficulties while caring for their children during home quarantine. It is necessary to reduce the social stigma toward individuals in home quarantine and establish policies to ensure work-family compatibility for such mothers.
Highlights
The world saw itself transitioning to a new society after the emergence of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Theme 1: Unable to be relieved due to uncertain situations surrounding me Feeling flustered and guilt caused by unexpected circumstances Participants expressed feeling flustered and guilty when they heard that their children were in close contact with a COVID-19 person
Their children had to stay in school longer, which they felt resulted in close contact with COVID-19 patients
Summary
The world saw itself transitioning to a new society after the emergence of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the number of COVID-19 patients continues to fluctuate, the Korean government is announcing and updating social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the virus [1]. The government is preventing the spread of the disease by isolating people exposed to the coronavirus [2]. The temporary suspension of societal activities and changes in operating methods have caused various crises for both individuals and families [3]. It is mostly adults who have been infected with COVID-19. The incidence of COVID-19 in children is much lower
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