Title
Perspective of parents on healthcare for children during COVID-19 in India: A qualitative inquiry
Authors
Hepsi Bai Joseph1,*, Sandhiya Kuppusamy1, Santosh Kumar Mahalik2, Asha P. Shetty1 & Kanishka Das2
Affiliation
1Department of Pediatric Nursing, College of Nursing, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India; 2Department of Pediatric Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India; *Corresponding author
Hepsi Bai Joseph - E-mail: nurs_hepsi@aiimsbhubaneswar.edu.in
Sandhiya Kuppusamy - E-mail: con_sandhiya@aiimsbhubaneswar.edu.in
Santosh Kumar Mahalik - E-mail: pedsurg_santosh@aiimsbhubaneswar.edu.in
Asha P. Shetty - E-mail: nurs_asha@aiimsbhubaneswar.edu.in
Kanishka Das - E-mail:
pedsurg_kanishka@aiimsbhubaneswar.edu.in
Article Type
Research Article
Date
Received January 1, 2026; Revised January 31, 2026; Accepted January 31, 2026, Published January 31, 2026
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had pushed everyone into isolation at home and created challenges for mankind to meet their healthcare needs. Therefore, it was of interest to explore the perspectives of parents in caring for children with healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. An exploratory qualitative inquiry was conducted among 16 parents through in-depth interviews at a tertiary care hospital using a purposive sampling technique. The current study found two themes: disablers towards the health facility approach and circumstances-induced challenges. These alarming facets of the health delivery system warrants introspection on the possibilities of rendering better services to vulnerable groups by creating awareness and alternative facilities. Moreover, the health ministry and related stakeholders need to plan improved facilities and alternative channels to manage health needs and prevent such experiences during future pandemics.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, health-seeking behaviour, parents' perspectives, challenges, India
Citation
Joseph et al. Bioinformation 22(1): 362-368 (2026)
Edited by
P Kangueane
ISSN
0973-2063
Publisher
License
This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. This is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
