The Unavailability of Childcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Parental Mental Health

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which has infected millions of individuals, has created serious public health and governance concerns. The impact of the lack of childcare facilities during the outbreak on the psychological well-being of parents is examined in this study. We discovered that parents who did not have access to childcare during the epidemic were 6.83, 11.88, 6.46, and 9.17 percentage points more likely to be displeased, anxious, depressed, and worried on a daily basis. The presenting results recommend the expansion of childcare services during the outbreak, particularly for vulnerable communities.