COVID-19 lockdown diaries: a qualitative study of the mental health experiences of parents in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to multiple disruptions across the entire structure of society. This study was carried out to explore the mental health experiences of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and how they coped with those experiences. There were reported increases in distress and depressive symptoms as parents had to handle multiple roles in a very uncertain and stressful environment as a result of emergency lockdowns and widespread school closures.
Methodology: The study used a qualitative design to explore the experiences of 15 parents during the 2021 COVID-19 lockdown period in Accra, Ghana. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and themes reflecting the key concepts were constructed. Results: Three themes emerged; causes of mental health problems, experiences of mental health problems and coping as a mental health resource.
Conclusions: The study demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown took a heavy toll on parents and families in general in terms of their mental. The usefulness of findings from this study in developing social interventions for national emergencies and safeguarding the mental health and well-being of families are discussed. The present study calls for culturally appropriate and sustainable family-friendly policies that may prioritize the needs of parents during national disasters, pandemics, and beyond. The findings have important implications for public policy on healthcare especially in terms of mental health, social welfare, and education. Specifically, families would be helped by adequate planning and provision of institutionalized financial systems and reliefs in emergencies. Also, the use of telehealth to provide easy access to mental healthcare will provide access to support for families who need it and help prevent negative mental health consequences.