Introduction

Both healthcare professionals and their children had a higher chance of getting infected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which raised the anxiety levels of these children.

Aims and Objectives

The study aimed to determine whether the healthcare workers' children were more affected by the recent pandemic compared to their age group.

Methods

219 children whose parents had a profession in the medical field were included in the experimental group. And 150 children whose parents' occupations were not related to health care were involved in the control group. A survey was sent to both groups. And apart from the multiple-choice questions, the survey also contained open-ended questions about their experiences during the pandemic and a test for identifying their type of anxiety disorder.

Results

It was found that both groups have experienced separation and generalized anxiety disorders. However, the anxiety disorder scores of the experimental group were significantly higher and were more prevalent when compared to the control group(p<0,05). Moreover, the open-ended questions have shown that both groups have experienced a decrease in their academic performances, and their parents' professions did not play a role in this downfall. Furthermore, all sub-scores were higher in the children whose parents were working in a department requiring them to deal directly with pandemic patients(p<0,05). It was also observed that children whose parents were away from home (22.4% in the experimental group and 2.3% in the control group) had higher anxiety levels during the pandemic.

Conclusions

The children of healthcare workers were affected more than their age range by Covid-19. Thus, we must be available to meet their needs in such times.