"I just got tired of their healthy tips": health promotion during public health crises. / « J'ai fini par en avoir assez de leurs conseils santé ¼ : la promotion de la santé en période de crise de santé publique.

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study highlights parents' perspectives on pandemic-related changes to health promotion programming. We conducted 60-minute, semi-structured telephone interviews with 15 parents (all mothers) of children in Grades 4 to 6 between December 2020 and February 2021 in two western Canadian provinces. Transcripts were analyzed through thematic analysis. While some parents found the health promotion materials helpful, most were overwhelmed and did not access the materials, finding them intrusive, being preoccupied with other things and facing their own personal stressors. This study highlights key factors to be addressed and further investigated to ensure the successful delivery of health promotion programming during future crises.

Schools modified health promotion programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and relied on parents to facilitate health promotion at home. Qualitative interviews with parents of children in Grades 4 to 6 revealed that parents were overwhelmed and often did not access health promotion materials. In the event of a future public health crisis, we identified strategies that can be used to increase parental engagement in facilitating health promotion at home.