Anxiety symptoms among children visiting a pediatric emergency center in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Although the evidence base regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children has been growing, descriptions of their experiences remain scarce. In this cross-sectional study, the authors used the Child-Reported Spence Children's Anxiety Scale to collect data from 91 children visiting a pediatric emergency center in Qatar during the pandemic. Around 25% of the children reported elevated levels of overall anxiety. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were the most common, with 59.3% of children reporting elevated symptoms. The mean score of physical injury fears was significantly affected by gender, with females having higher scores. Overall rates for elevated anxiety symptoms were similar in natives and expatriate children. The findings suggest that the effects of the pandemic on children may depend on several vulnerability factors, including developmental age and gender. This study highlights the need to plan multidisciplinary strategies to enhance children's access to mental health services during and after the current health crisis.