The impact of COVID-19 outbreak on the level of worries and its associate to modified active mobility behaviour among Australian children

Background: The impact of the COVID19 pandemic on children population is limited. However, the change of life behaviour placed to contain its spread may have prolonged lifelong impact on a vulnerable children population. Nevertheless, damages can be mitigated significantly if prompt detections are carried. This research aimed at capturing the disparity of COVID-19 impact on Australian parents and their primary-school-age children (grades 4-6) level of worry and its correlates with modifying children outdoor active mobility behaviour.

Method: We carried a national online survey sample of parents (339) from five states across Australia as well as their primary school-aged children in grades (4-6). Level of worry, amount and frequency of following the pandemic’s news and exposures to daily screen time before and during the COVID-19 outbreak, was captured online among parents as well by their children. Then, parents and children jointly reported about children active mobility behaviour covering two separate weeks, one during the COVD-19 outbreak, and another week on a typical week before then. Exploratory, spatial and statistical analysis are carried using Excel, ArcGIS, and open R statistical package.

Results: Initial findings showed disparity on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemics on parents as well as their children, by ethnicity background, by type of school (private or public), and by the amount of exposure to the pandemic media and screen time.

Conclusion The in-progress findings of the current research analysis may aid to identify at-risk children population and inform intervention health strategies.