ERIC Number: EJ1446252
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Nov
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: EISSN-1746-1561
School Perceptions and Attendance for Children with Medical Complexity during COVID-19 over Time
Ryan J. Coller; Gregory P. DeMuri; Jens C. Eickhoff; Kristina Singh-Verdeflor; Gemma Warner; Sabrina M. Butteris; Mary L. Ehlenbach; Danielle Gerber; Barbara Katz; Shawn Koval; Michelle M. Kelly
Journal of School Health, v94 n11 p1009-1018 2024
Background: Disparities in school attendance exist for children with medical complexity (CMC) due to COVID-19. Longitudinal changes in family-reported school safety perceptions and predictors of full-time, in-person school attendance are unknown. Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal cohort study with 3 survey waves (June 2021-June 2022) among English- and Spanish-speaking families of CMC aged 5 to 17 years and pre-pandemic school attendance. Changes in Health Belief Model perceptions and full-time in-person school attendance were estimated using multivariate generalized linear modeling with repeated measures. Results: Among 1601 respondents (52.9% of 3073 invited), 86.8% participated in all 3 surveys. School safety perceptions improved with time; however, perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 increased. Full-time in-person school attendance rose from 48.4% to 90.0% from wave 1 to 3 (p < 0.0001), and was associated with motivation, benefits, and cues. For example, families with low compared to high motivation for in-person attendance had 76% versus 98% predicted probability for child's school attendance, respectively at wave 3 (p < 0.0001). Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Probability of full-time in-person school attendance was associated with several health belief model perceptions. School health policy and programs may benefit from promoting family motivation, benefits, and cues during future respiratory illness epidemics including COVID-19. Conclusions: In-person school attendance improved for CMC over time. Opportunities exist to continue optimizing in-person attendance and family-perceived safety for CMC at school.
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Chronic Illness, Child Health, Attendance, Parents, Parent Attitudes, School Safety, In Person Learning, Distance Education, Student Motivation, School Health Services, Health Conditions, Sanitary Facilities, Communicable Diseases, Disease Control
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of the Director (DHHS/NIH); National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS); National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) (DHHS/NIH); Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: U24MD016258; OT2HD107558; OT2HD108110; U24TR001608; HHSN275201000003I