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Impact of COVID-19 on Child Maltreatment: Income Instability and Parenting Issues

Author

Listed:
  • Janet Yuen-Ha Wong

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Abraham Ka-Chung Wai

    (Emergency Medicine Unit, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Man Ping Wang

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Jung Jae Lee

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Matthew Li

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Jojo Yan-Yan Kwok

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Carlos King-Ho Wong

    (Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy and Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Anna Wai-Man Choi

    (Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

Abstract

Introduction : Children are widely recognized as a vulnerable population during disasters and emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic, like a natural disaster, brought uncertainties and instability to the economic development of the society and social distancing, which might lead to child maltreatment. This study aims to investigate whether job loss, income reduction and parenting affect child maltreatment. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 600 randomly sampled parents aged 18 years or older who had and lived with a child under 10 years old in Hong Kong between 29 May to 16 June 2020. Participants were recruited from a random list of mobile phone numbers of a panel of parents. Of 779 recruited target parents, 600 parents completed the survey successfully via a web-based system after obtaining their online consent for participating in the survey. Results : Income reduction was found significantly associated with severe (OR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.06, 10.25) and very severe physical assaults (OR = 7.69, 95% CI = 2.24, 26.41) towards children. Job loss or large income reduction were also significantly associated with severe (OR= 3.68, 95% CI = 1.33, 10.19) and very severe physical assaults (OR = 4.05, 95% CI = 1.17, 14.08) towards children. However, income reduction (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.15, 0.53) and job loss (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.28, 0.76) were significantly associated with less psychological aggression. Exposure to intimate partner violence between parents is a very strong and significant factor associated with all types of child maltreatment. Having higher levels of difficulty in discussing COVID-19 with children was significantly associated with more corporal punishment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.34), whereas having higher level of confidence in managing preventive COVID-19 behaviors with children was negatively associated with corporal punishment (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.76, 0.99) and very severe physical assaults (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.58, 0.93). Conclusions : Income instability such as income reduction and job loss amplified the risk of severe and very severe child physical assaults but protected children from psychological aggression. Also, confidence in teaching COVID-19 and managing preventive COVID-19 behaviors with children was significantly negatively associated with corporal punishment during pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Janet Yuen-Ha Wong & Abraham Ka-Chung Wai & Man Ping Wang & Jung Jae Lee & Matthew Li & Jojo Yan-Yan Kwok & Carlos King-Ho Wong & Anna Wai-Man Choi, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Child Maltreatment: Income Instability and Parenting Issues," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-10, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1501-:d:493805
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Schenck-Fontaine, Anika & Gassman-Pines, Anna, 2020. "Income inequality and child maltreatment risk during economic recession," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    2. Baron, E. Jason & Goldstein, Ezra G. & Wallace, Cullen T., 2020. "Suffering in silence: How COVID-19 school closures inhibit the reporting of child maltreatment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    3. Schneider, William & Waldfogel, Jane & Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne, 2017. "The Great Recession and risk for child abuse and neglect," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 71-81.
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