Striking a new balance: A qualitative study of how family life has been affected by COVID-19.
Mayckel da Silva Barreto, Francielle Renata Danielli Martins Marques, Adriana Martins Gallo and 3 others
PMID 37937598WHAT IT FOUND
Patients who had COVID-19 described their families first strained by fear, sadness, conflict and money worries, then closer through video calls and new care roles, before finding a changed routine.
Key findings
01Families initially moved toward negative repercussions, including concerns, fear, anguish and stress, and patients perceived more negative effects when disease severity required hospitalization and intensive care.
02Over time, patients described positive family changes, including increased proximity, strengthened ties, new care roles and technology use to maintain communication.
03Patients said families gradually identified recovery of a balanced position in family life, with both negative and positive repercussions mitigated over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a convenience sample from a cohort in one Brazilian state, so its themes may not apply to other places or populations. Only patients who had COVID-19 were interviewed; family members were not interviewed, so the paper does not show the family's own perspective. Interviews were remote, single, and short (mean 15 minutes), which may limit depth and nonverbal information. People without internet or electronic devices were excluded, so experiences of those without digital access are missing. Most participants had severe disease requiring ICU, so mild or outpatient experiences are less represented. It is a qualitative study, so it describes perceptions and themes, not effects of care or causality.
Declared interests
The study was part of a multicenter project that received federal funding. The supplied text does not include a competing interests declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that families improve or that any intervention caused balance. It is a qualitative study of patients' perceptions, and their families were not interviewed.