IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON FAMILY WELL-BEING: PERSPECTIVES OF RELATIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH PSYCHOSOCIAL DISABILITIES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the opinions of relatives living with persons with psychosocial disabilities about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of their families, taking into account demographic and social factors.
Materials and methods. In 2022, 351 relatives living with persons with disabilities were surveyed. A chi-square test was used to assess the distribution of respondents according to sociodemographic variables and answers about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being.
Results. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was reported by 85.3% of respondents. Younger respondents and parents reporting it more frequently (respectively, 88.8% vs. 80.7% and 87.6% vs. 72.0%, p≤0.05). One-fifth (22.9%) of all respondents indicated that the pandemic caused problems with their work, 52.7% - that their family had more expenses, 60.5% indicated that their health deteriorated during the pandemic, 63.6% indicated that their disabled relatives were unable to receive healthcare services, and 64.4% - that their disabled relatives were unable to receive social services. Collateral relatives and respondents without higher education more frequently indicated that they had experienced problems with their work during the pandemic (respectively, 37.5% vs. 21.0% and 30.2% vs. 15.0%, p≤0.05). Parents and part-time workers more frequently indicated that their health deteriorated during the pandemic (respectively, 63.2% vs. 46.0% and 69.7% vs. 58.9%, p≤0.05). Collateral relatives more frequently indicated that during the pandemic, their disabled relatives had difficulties accessing healthcare services (respectively, 80.0% vs. 60.8%, p≤0.05). Men and collateral relatives more often indicated that their disabled relatives had difficulties accessing social services (respectively, 85.7% vs. 62.4%, 73.6% vs. 62.0%, p≤0.05).
Conclusions. More than four-fifths of the relatives of people with psychosocial disabilities have experienced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most commonly, inequalities were observed regarding work, accessibility to healthcare and social services.