How can Single Mothers Care for Themselves and their Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Abstract
This work investigates how single mothers maintain healthy behaviours for themselves and their children as they try to meet the evolving COVID-19 public recommendations. Everyone has had to adapt to changing public health rules. Single mothers may have unique challenges as they juggle to adapt to changing family responsibilities since they do not have another person helping in the home, and help outside the home may be restricted by public health rules. My research plan addressed these questions to learn more about the experiences of single mothers during the pandemic: 1) What are the changes in family responsibilities? 2) How do they implement health-promoting behaviours that have been recommended to prevent COVID-19 such as mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing, and disinfecting surfaces; and what things helped or prevented those changes? and 3) How do they maintain other healthy behaviours to address their overall health like: healthy eating, physical activity, and mental health. My research involved quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to provide in-depth understanding. Single mothers may be at particular risk during the pandemic. This research will help us understand the challenges and needs of single mothers so that they can follow public health rules for COVID-19 and stay healthy, while supporting the health and well-being of their children.