The impact of the measures taken during the pandemic on children and young people will be studied.
This was announced by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in a press release on Thursday.
“We know that COVID-19 and the health measures imposed, such as physical distancing and wearing a mask, have transformed the daily lives of children,” reads the press release sent by the CIHR.
A total of $3.1 million will be allocated to the McMaster University and McMaster Children’s Hospital research project. Nearly 27,000 children aged 5 to 21 will take part in this national study, which will begin in January and end in June 2023.
“The information from this study will be used to develop strategies to help young people recover and minimize the long-term effects on their well-being,” said Canada’s Health Minister Jean -Yves Duclos.
Statistics Canada followed the same group of children, then aged up to 17, for the 2019 Canadian Child and Youth Health Survey.
“The data collected will be compared to pre-pandemic measures and will be used to guide policies and decisions on the allocation of resources to children’s health and to develop strategies for wellness, prevention and treatment in order to ensure a future health to children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by the pandemic,” continued Dr. Christine Chambers, Scientific Director at CIHR’s Institute of Child and Youth Health, Development.
Families facing difficulties
Already, Canadian families are dealing with enormous economic and social stressors related to the pandemic. For Dr. Kathy Georgiades, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University, the next few years are likely to be even more difficult.
“The effects of this stress will be more intense for families already facing financial difficulties and for children already struggling with physical and mental health difficulties. The results of this study will help decision-makers make more informed choices about health and interventions,” she said.