The impact of COVID-19 on parents from Black ethnic backgrounds in the UK: what we have learned and why it still matters.

Abstract

Background: People from ethnic minority groups are more likely to be impacted by global disasters than White ethnic groups due to pre-existing vulnerabilities. A lack of trust in mainstream support services, which have often accounted poorly for the needs of those communities, contributes to further discrimination and disadvantage.

Aims: This study was conducted in 2022, soon after the COVID-19 pandemic, to survey the overall well-being and healthcare needs of UK families with a Black ethnic background.

Method: A total of 2124 parents completed an online survey that included measures of psychological well-being, children's difficulties, family healthcare needs and perception of support both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Seventy per cent of parents reported high levels of stress, depression and anxiety, and over half identified high emotional and relational difficulties in their children. Higher levels of distress in parents correlated with greater difficulties in children and poorer parent-child relationships. Community support was associated with greater parental well-being and fewer child difficulties. Parents sought support from formal support networks when health issues were perceived as more severe.

Conclusions: This study engaged a large sample of families from Black ethnic backgrounds, but recruitment may have been biased by sociodemographic characteristics. Levels of psychological distress were high, possibly due to pre-existing and enduring exposure to difficult life circumstances. Support from community networks was perceived as helpful, especially by those with milder levels of psychological distress. The strong association between parents' and children's well-being suggests that family-focused interventions could be beneficial, especially if culturally adapted.