Abstract
Despite the immense interruptions to relationships and family life during the COVID-19 pandemic, only a few studies explicitly focused on family wellbeing. Therefore, the present study aimed to synthesize current evidence in the African context to provide a state-of-the-art representation of the pandemic's impact on family wellbeing. Using a scoping review, 22 articles on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing in Africa were analysed. The results of the study showed a diverse and immense impact of the pandemic on family wellbeing. We noted that there were few studies on this topic and that wellbeing outcomes were measured from a deficit perspective rather than as a positive state of being. The theme of stigma was more pronounced in Western Africa, whereas domestic violence was linked more to Southern African contexts. Furthermore, the economic impact of the pandemic was emphasized in Eastern and Southern African countries than in Ghana and Nigeria in Western Africa. In line with the recommendations from the articles reviewed, a multifaceted policy response is needed to protect family wellbeing. Such interventions need to focus on family functioning, happiness and social wellbeing, and not just reactive and preventative approaches, to promote wellbeing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the African continent (Bwire et al., 2022), resulting in significant disruptions in already fragile health systems, socio-economic processes, and overall functioning of individuals (Mahlangu et al., 2022). Previous research primarily focused on studying the individual impacts of the pandemic (Al Dhaheri et al., 2021; Modise, 2021), but it is crucial to closely examine the institution of family and its wellbeing within the context of the pandemic because of the vital role families play in the care and wellbeing of individuals to facilitate their effective functioning in the society (Adebiyi et al., 2021). The concept of family, for the purpose of this paper, encompasses individuals connected through biological, kinship, and lineage relations, shared living spaces, legal ties such as adoption and marriage, or relational proximity in terms of interpersonal relationships (Hall & Mokomane, 2018; Isaacs et al., 2019). In the African context, family extends beyond immediate family members to include extended family, comprising uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews, thereby encompassing the entire family unit (Mafumbate, 2019). The wellbeing of African families relies on interconnectedness, interdependence, a sense of solidarity, and belongingness, with connectedness serving as a fundamental aspect of care and support for African people (Stavrova & Luhmann, 2016). Consequently, when families are impacted, individuals and societies also experience repercussions. The COVID-19 pandemic was observed to have negative short- and long-term impacts on the overall wellbeing of families in Africa (Adebiyi et al., 2021; Stokes & Patterson, 2020).
Wellbeing, as defined by the World Health Organization (2001), represents a state in which individuals have no ill health, realize their own abilities, cope with life's stresses, work productively, make meaningful contributions to their communities, and perceive that life is going well. While the traditional definition of wellbeing primarily focuses on the absence of mental illness, for the purpose of the current paper, wellbeing encompasses both the positive and negative experiences of families during the COVID-19 pandemic (Diener et al., 2009). The components of family wellbeing under consideration were derived from the works of Keyes (2002) and the World Health Organization (2001) as well as the Family Wellbeing Framework (Tautolo et al., 2020). The family wellbeing framework comprises five core components of family wellbeing: psychological, social, emotional, economic, and physical wellbeing; all of which are subject to the dynamic influence of factors such as circumstances, locality, activities, psychological resources, and interpersonal relations. Psychological wellbeing focuses on individuals’ inner, private functioning, and social wellbeing pertains to their evaluation of personal life circumstances and functioning within society (Keyes, 2002; Westerhof & Keyes, 2010). Emotional wellbeing involves awareness, understanding, and acceptance of one's feelings, as well as the ability to balance positive and negative emotions experienced in life (Keyes, 1998). Physical wellbeing relates to the overall condition of the body and its optimal functioning, encompassing factors such as physical fitness, absence or presence of diseases, nutrition, and rest (World Health Organization, 2001). Economic wellbeing refers to having sufficient income to meet basic needs, including healthcare, housing, food, and education (World Health Organization, 2001).
A number of studies shed light on the emotional, economic, psychological, and physical impacts of the pandemic on families, and the studies documented reports of mental health issues, financial losses, sicknesses, and fatalities (Foley et al., 2021; Prime et al., 2020; Wolfson & Leung, 2020). The resulting evidence called for policy considerations in preparation for pandemics (Forman et al., 2022). A study was identified that explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing (Gayatri & Puspitasari, 2023). This study provided insights into the impact of the pandemic on family dynamics, mental health, and social wellbeing; however, it revealed a significant research gap due to its focus on higher-income countries such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Israel, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Bangladesh. This geographical focus raises questions about the applicability of its findings to low- and middle-income countries, especially within the varied psychosocial and socio-economic landscapes of Africa. The study's geographical limitations highlight the necessity for continent-specific research because there is limited knowledge about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing on the continent.
Although there have been other pandemics in Africa, for instance, Ebola, its impact on African families’ well-being has not been directly explored, in countries where it occurred (Koch et al., 2021; Vygen et al., 2016). Studies on the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic recorded mostly its health consequences with some evidence pointing to various challenges in accessing maternal health services, including family planning and reproductive care (Jones et al., 2016). The outbreak exposed weaknesses in the health systems of these countries, affecting their ability to respond promptly and effectively to the crisis (Koch et al., 2021). Regarding the economic impact of the Ebola virus, there were significant financial burdens to already strained health systems and economies (Dramé et al., 2021; Elmahdawy et al., 2017). Additionally, the psychosocial implications of the epidemic, such as enacted stigma and its effects on health-related quality of life, were noted as areas requiring attention and intervention (Kokou-Kpolou et al., 2022). However, unlike Ebola, which was largely confined to specific regions, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has affected families globally, with a particularly significant impact on the African continent.
Although studies on aspects such as education (Soudien et al., 2022), pathophysiology, epidemiology, aetiology, vulnerability, preparedness, and economic impact in Africa (Anyanwu & Salami, 2021; Lone & Ahmad, 2020; Tessema et al., 2021) were conducted, a significant knowledge gap remains concerning the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing.
Following a review of existing evidence, what was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of families in Africa?
This scoping review aimed to answer the aforementioned research question by providing a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the pandemic on family wellbeing in Africa. The findings can inform policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to develop targeted interventions to support African families during and beyond the pandemic.
The current scoping review had the following objectives:
Examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological, social, economic, physical, and emotional wellbeing of families; and Discuss potential recommendations for further research, practice, and policy in this area.
Methodology
Our scoping review inquired into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing in Africa. This work aimed to provide synthesis on state-of-the-art research on the African continent that relates to family wellbeing in the context of the pandemic. The scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and our methodological approach followed the iterative six-step process laid out by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). We took the following steps:
We identified the research question, which asked what the impact was of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing in Africa. We completed an abstract analysis of the relevant articles published in academic journals. As our research questions were directed toward empirical findings, we limited our search to peer-reviewed articles in academic journals and to articles written in English. We included selected studies based on abstract analysis in a full-text analysis. We charted the data gathered from selected studies after reading the full text. We collated, summarized, and reported the results.
We searched through the following databases for peer-reviewed academic articles: PsychINFO, BMC, ProQuest, DOAJ, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PubMed, Sabinet African Journals, Scopus, and Web of Science. We used the following search terms: (((((covid-19[Title/Abstract] OR coronavirus [Title/Abstract] OR 2019-ncov[Title/Abstract] OR sars-cov-2[Title/Abstract] OR cov-19[Title/Abstract]) AND (family [Title/Abstract])) AND (wellbeing OR wellbeing OR wellbeing)) AND (Africa)) AND (impact OR effect OR influence)) AND ((“2020”[Date - Publication])).
Eligibility Criteria
After collecting articles generated from these searches, three team members conducted two screenings by analyzing the titles and abstracts of the gathered papers that were stored on a shared Google Drive. The first screen's eligibility criteria required that articles be published during the period in which COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Other eligibility criteria included empirical papers in English that focused specifically on family wellbeing as the outcome variable. Although wellbeing was conceptualized as experiences of positive feelings and functioning, most articles focused on the pathological view of wellbeing, and so we had to include these in the review. We explored wellbeing in terms of material/economic, physical, emotional, social, and psychological impact. In summary, we included articles that met the following criteria:
Focus on family wellbeing Data gathered during the pandemic Samples from Africa Date: 2020 to 2023 Written in English Qualitative and Quantitative studies Review papers Journal articles
Data Analysis and Synthesis
We came to a consensus on inclusion or exclusion based on a shared understanding of the criteria. Our final list of articles was divided among the team members and discussed collectively (see Figure 1). We read the full text and extracted the following information from each article: Author, title, abstract, year, country, qualitative/quantitative/both methods, findings, and recommendations. All of these data were organized using Google Sheets. The results section of this article captures the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing in terms of economic, social, physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing.
Prisma flowchart detailing search retrieval and inclusion.
Results
A total of 22 published articles were examined. These articles were spread across different time periods, with three articles published in 2020, followed by five in 2021, twelve in 2022, and two in the first half of 2023. Most of the articles (8) originated solely from South Africa. In addition, six articles were multi-site studies, two each were from Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Uganda, and one each from Zambia and Ghana (see Table 1).
Summary of Articles included in the Scoping Review.
Regarding the methodology employed, eight studies used qualitative approaches, nine used quantitative approaches, and five incorporated mixed methods. Notably, the studies originating from Nigeria primarily concentrated on economic wellbeing, alongside physical and social wellbeing considerations. On the other hand, the South African studies delved into the complex interplay of multiple impacts, exploring the psychological, social, physical, emotional, and economic facets of wellbeing. The studies from Ethiopia, Zambia, Ghana, and Uganda comprehensively examined all dimensions of wellbeing.
The multi-site studies encompassed regions such as East, Southern, West, and Central Africa, as well as countries like Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Uganda. These studies exclusively focused on the economic implications of various factors, such as the loss of income due to business shutdowns. In contrast, the studies conducted in the Middle East and North Africa delved into the psychological, emotional, and economic aspects of wellbeing. Noteworthy examples include the South African-Zimbabwe study that concentrated on psychological and economic facets, and the Burkina Faso-Kenya study that explored physical and psychological wellbeing.
Discussion
This study is a comprehensive scoping review on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing in Africa (see Table 1). The scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize published research studies in Africa on the impact of the pandemic on family wellbeing. Consequently, measures that minimize this impact on families and recommendations for policy, research, and practice are discussed. The analysis of the selected 22 studies revealed the impact of the pandemic on the five facets of wellbeing, namely psychological, economic, social, physical, and emotional. We use a narrative approach to discuss the results on the impact of each facet on wellbeing on families across Africa.
Psychological and Emotional Wellbeing
Research showed that family life fulfils an essential role in the wellbeing of its members and is a source of support, security, and resilience, particularly during difficult times (Koen et al., 2013; Roos et al., 2021; Vanderhout et al., 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic that erupted during the 2019–2021 period only exacerbated the already fractured social system of the family in many parts of Africa (Chidume et al., 2021; Ekwe, 2021; Kalil et al., 2020). Based on the 22 reviewed research papers, psychological and economic impacts on families appear to be reported more than other facets such as social, physical, and emotional wellbeing. The lockdown restrictions caused psychological distress to many families due to prolonged quarantine echoing similar challenges observed during previous health crises like the Ebola outbreak (Kokou-Kpolou et al., 2022).
The study by El Tantawi et al. (2022) in the Middle East and North Africa reported that many people suffered from posttraumatic stress due to deaths in families and prolonged grief. Similarly, in Ethiopia many experienced stress and anxiety as a result of the increased loss of lives in families (Belay et al., 2022; Kalil et al., 2020). Naicker and Richter (2022) conducted a study in South Africa and reported that the increase in deaths due to COVID-19 seemed to have created a collective fear and feelings of helplessness among family members.
Furthermore, we found that, although families across the African continent experienced stigma, studies in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana reported more on stigma and discrimination experienced by families due to infected family members and/or deaths related to COVID-19 (Ayisi-Boateng et al., 2020; Suleiman, 2021). This is most likely due to victim-blaming and lack of understanding of the aetiology of the illness as well as how it is easily transmitted among individuals. The experience of social stigma associated with COVID-19 also impacted the mental wellbeing of families (Adebiyi et al., 2021; Attanasio et al., 2020; Kalil et al., 2020; October et al., 2021).
Children faced psychological maladjustment when parents could not attend to their emotional, physical, and schooling needs (Engelbrecht, 2023; Mohangi, 2023). Anxiety in children increased after schools’ closure as it influenced family structures and their daily routines (Spiteri, 2021). A study done in Zambia reported that there was no or limited school attendance due to lack of educational resources, especially for children with disabilities (Hearst et al., 2021). Similarly, in a study done in Uganda found that most parents were worried about children missing education (Mbazzi et al., 2022).
Economic Wellbeing
In an attempt to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the economic wellbeing of families particularly in Africa were greatly affected (Suleiman, 2021). The high rate of unemployment caused by the lockdown restrictions resulted in many families experiencing financial challenges (Parsons, 2020). A number of African countries also reported a significant drop in employment; for instance, a survey report by Koos et al. (2020) using World Bank and the World Food Programme's data showed that Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Malawi all experienced an average drop between 43 and 80% in employment. South Africa also reported losing 2.2 million jobs in the second quarter of 2020 (Statistics South Africa, 2022). The economic repercussions of COVID-19 were substantial, further burdening health systems and economies across Africa. This situation is reminiscent of previous health crises like the Ebola outbreak, which also imposed significant financial burdens on already strained health systems and economies (Dramé et al., 2021; Elmahdawy et al., 2017).
Based on the findings of this review, almost all studies done across Africa reported immense financial impact from job losses, closure of businesses, and decreases in family income (Ayisi-Boateng et al., 2020; Bamiwuye et al., 2022; Belay et al., 2022; El Tantawi et al., 2022; Hearst et al., 2021; Josephson et al., 2020; Mashige et al., 2021; Nuwematsiko et al., 2022; Rich et al., 2022). The study done by Mashige et al. (2021) on the economic, health, and physical impact of the pandemic in the Sub-Saharan Africa regions showed that East and Southern African countries were more affected by business closure than West and Central African countries, such as Ghana and Nigeria, where most businesses operated as usual.
The scoping review also revealed that financial constraints have caused food insecurity in many African countries. The situation led to some individuals being unable to feed their families, resulting in starvation and malnutrition (United Nations Sustainable Development Group, 2020). Josephson et al. (2020) in their longitudinal study on socio-economic impacts of the pandemic in four African countries (Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Uganda) found that about 77% of the population in these countries were unable to access staple foods. This food insecurity heavily impacted households that were already impoverished prior to the pandemic. Similarly, in a study done in Zambia on families with disabled children, Hearst et al. (2021) reported that the pandemic caused many families to reduce the quantity and quality of foods due to loss of income. Another study done in Nigeria by Bamiwuye et al. (2022) found that food insecurity was a threat to all households in rural and urban areas. They further explained that at least 83% of urban households and 78% of rural households were food insecure. Many families from impoverished communities relied on meals provided by the government, and therefore, the closure of schools meant an increase in their feeding size, frequency, and quality in addition to their already financially constrained circumstances (Rich et al., 2022; November, 2020).
Most African families survive on remittances in the form of food or money being sent by migrant children. The pandemic significantly influenced the intergenerational support within transitional families. A study done by Maviza and Nzima (2022) on intergenerational support in transitional families in South Africa and Zimbabwe reported that due to loss of jobs resulting in no or less income; it became difficult to continue sending remittances to their parents. However, as migrant children value familial duties and unconditionally support their parents, they remain committed to provide support despite economic hardships. Asegie et al. (2021) found in their study on the effects of the pandemic on the livelihoods of rural households in Ethiopia that the pandemic affected the income from remittance by 21.49% and labor migration by 11.48%. These findings reflect the severe impact of the pandemic on the economic wellbeing of many families in Africa.
Most parents also struggled to balance work and home duties due to home-schooling. Children from low-income communities and rural areas suffered in terms of transitioning to online learning because of lack of resources like cell phones and computers. The demands of home schooling appeared to become overwhelming and challenging in most African countries, especially for families in rural areas. These findings were reported in studies done in South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia (Mbazzi et al., 2022; Naicker & Richter, 2022; October et al., 2021; Rich et al., 2022).
Although the economic impacts of COVID-19 significantly affected family well-being in most African countries by reducing income, increasing poverty, and limiting access to essential services, it is important to note that social safety nets provided by governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and families played a vital role in mitigating these effects. For example, in a study conducted by Adebiyi et al. (2021) on the negative impacts of COVID-19 in South Africa, the findings revealed that the South African government introduced the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to help families cope with the effects of the pandemic. Similarly, a study by Suleiman (2021) on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa reported that the Nigerian government provided financial assistance as a palliative to a small number of households to cushion the economic crises. Furthermore, Mbazzi et al. (2022), in their study on the impact of COVID-19 measures on children with disabilities and their fathers in Uganda, reported that the government distributed food parcels for a few months during the outbreak of the pandemic, with many of these parcels being donations from neighbors. This indicates that community members also played a significant role in mitigating the effects of the pandemic. Additionally, families played a major role in providing financial and food support to elderly people. This is evidenced in a study by Maviza and Nzima (2022) on intergenerational kinship networks among African migrants from Zimbabwe in South Africa. Their findings indicated that, despite the challenges of losing jobs, these migrants continued to send remittances back to their country of origin. All the aforementioned measures enabled the majority of families to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic, preserving their well-being and fostering resilience during a time of unprecedented crisis (Renzaho, 2020).
Physical Wellbeing
The loss of income mainly increased stress for breadwinners because of their inability to work and provide for their families, which spiraled into tensions within families, and as a result, women and children became more susceptible to violence in the home (Taub, 2020). Being confined to the same space for a long time also compounded the risk of domestic violence (October et al., 2021). There were a lot of interpersonal family conflicts, and children witnessed aggression and violence. Children were also victims of verbal conflict and received harsh discipline (October et al., 2021). Our review showed that although there was evidence of domestic violence in East and North African countries (Decker et al., 2022; El Tantawi et al., 2022), it appears that domestic violence cases were more prevalent in Southern African countries, especially in South Africa (Duby et al., 2022; Engelbrecht, 2023; Naicker & Richter, 2022; Rich et al., 2022; October et al., 2021; November, 2020). These interactional conflicts within families seem to have negatively affected overall emotional wellbeing.
Social Wellbeing
Families and family relationships are important predictors of human development and of individual health and wellbeing (Botha et al., 2018). Relationships are linked to indicators of wellbeing and play an important role in African families (Onyedinma & Kanayo, 2013). In African families, relationships are defined by interconnectedness, interdependence, a sense of solidarity, and belonging. However, due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, most families had restricted social interactions with other family members, friends, and community members. Some findings showed that most could not attend family gatherings and perform their usual rituals, and being unable to attend funerals and bury loved ones was difficult as family members could not have closure (Barasa & Shitandi, 2020; Kgadima & Leburu, 2024). This was supported by Mbiti (1991) and Owusu-Ansah and Mji (2013) who stated that harmony is deeply embedded in cultural values, and to be human is to be with the family participating in ceremonies, rituals, and festivals that give a sense of belonging among African families. In our review, a decrease in family interactions was mostly reported in Ghana and South Africa (Ayisi-Boateng et al., 2020; Rich et al., 2022; October et al., 2021). Lack of communication, especially with family and friends who reside in the rural areas where technology is a challenge due to insufficient resources, had a huge impact on families’ social wellbeing. According to Killgore et al. (2020), Mbunge et al. (2020), and Padmanabhanunni and Pretorius (2021), this social isolation also resulted in increased cases of mental breakdowns and suicide attempts as a result of loneliness and depression.
Positive Outcomes
In our review, we noted that although many negative impacts of the pandemic were reported, there were also a few studies that highlighted positive outcomes. In a study done in Middle East and North African countries, El Tantawi et al. (2022) found that testing positive for COVID-19 within families strengthened their relationships. Family members began appreciating each other more than before and relational interactions improved (Donga et al., 2021). Similarly, a study conducted in South Africa by Rich et al. (2022) on family resilience showed that communication became pivotal, and that being honest with each other about feelings, struggles, and needs improved relationships. Concurring with above studies, October et al. (2021) found in their study on the daily realities for families in South Africa during the pandemic that family cohesion increased, which resulted in families’ health and wellbeing improving. Mohangi (2023) also mentioned that although there were many risks related to interpersonal conflict due to the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities were also identified, such as academic support, shared responsibilities, life skills and values acquisition, and family cohesion. In support of this, quality family relationships promoted togetherness and social support among families (Calarco et al., 2020; Kalil et al., 2020).
In addition to strengthened relationships as a positive outcome, October et al. (2021) revealed that the pandemic brought a change in societal norms and traditional gender roles for men and women in some families in South Africa because men also started helping with the household chores. Furthermore, they also found an increase in cleanliness and good health. The COVID-19 protocols enabled families to be more cognizant about their hygiene, and the regulations resulted in behavioral hygiene changes as families had to incorporate the washing of hands and sanitizing frequently. However, it is important to note that based on our review, the above-mentioned positive outcomes were mostly reported in South African studies and not in the other African studies we reviewed.
Recommendations
All the recommendations discussed here are based on the reviewed studies. The recommendations are divided into practice, policy, and research recommendations.
Practice
In order to curb the increase in domestic violence in the event of future pandemics, it is recommended that response activities should be contextualized to different settings and protocols to protect vulnerable groups in the community such as children and women (Nuwematsiko et al., 2022). Decker et al. (2022) also stated that both primary prevention and survivor-centered support services, including those related to economic empowerment, should be integrated in COVID-recovery efforts and extended into the post-pandemic period to fully meet women's safety needs. Psychologists should provide emotional support services to families and caregivers (Engelbrecht, 2023). According to Mohangi (2023), school psychologists should create opportunities to mitigate risks by focusing on improving family values and communication skills to alleviate communication-related conflict in families. However, there was emphasis on knowledge and awareness of diverse cultures, and that psychologists must be sensitive to families’ cultural backgrounds. Telemedicine-virtual consultation and treatment centers to collect medicine or from home to avoid risks of stigma and adherence to chronic medication in lockdown situations were encouraged. Ayisi-Boateng et al. (2020) also encouraged protecting vulnerable families.
To increase social interactions, psychosocial supporting interventions focusing on families and relationships were encouraged. This can be done by raising awareness and encouraging healthy familial relationships and communication to strengthen family resilience, such as online interactive support groups, webinars, and family conferences (Rich et al., 2022). October et al. (2021) recommended interventions that help families adapt to new daily routines and encouraged interventions that help change socialization methods to maintain relationships and that give advice on how to deal with conflicts and financial constraints.
To support children, efforts should be made to extend support to the families, or at the very least parents, beyond material resources to psychosocial support and guidance (Naicker & Richter, 2022). Social support to help children re-enter social groups or establish new friends was also encouraged. With regard to learning, schools should educate parents on how to support children academically. Grandparents and in-house relationships can be leveraged to provide learning support to children under teacher supervision (Mohangi, 2023; Rich et al., 2022).
Policy
To alleviate economic hardships, sub-Saharan African regions should learn from each other during the recovery process. A policy instrument with a holistic approach must be implemented to enhance economic recovery in different sub-regions (Mashige et al., 2021). Suleiman (2021) also recommended that governments must introduce sustainable policies and strategies for managing the pandemic. For instance, actions must be targeted to support the most vulnerable people. Governments must create ways to train people on how to enhance their capacities in COVID-19 management. Bamiwuye et al. (2022) encouraged governments to embark on a new legislative decision process and proper channeling of resources that take cognizance of the disparities in the context in which the pandemic affects rural and urban households. All-inclusive palliative measures should be sustained by governments and stakeholders to reduce the effects and financial burden of the pandemic on the entire populace.
Belay et al. (2022) suggested that specific plans must be designed to address the needs of those in unstable working situations. In future pandemics, such plans should be put in place in the early stages of the pandemic to prevent similar economic hardships. They also recommended continuous surveillance to actively monitor the impact of the pandemic in communities and families and to safeguard the economic and health wellbeing of individuals and households. According to Duby et al. (2022), interventions to provide parenting support and investments in family strengthening could fill additional gaps in mental health support for young people, especially in resource-restricted settings. Asegie et al. (2021) believed that governments and other rural development partners should focus on immediate and long-term intervention strategies to support the most affected households through social security programs by creating market linkage and revolving funding mechanisms.
The findings showed that children with disabilities and their families were severely affected by the pandemic, and therefore, Mbazzi et al. (2022) suggested that governments should pay greater attention to children with disabilities and their families when implementing and mitigating long-term responses. Hearst et al. (2021) stated there is an urgent need for responses that deliberately address the needs of children with disabilities and their families, notably uninterrupted access to adequate food, inclusive education, rehabilitation therapy, and income-generating activities.
Research
Donga et al. (2021) suggested that follow-up studies using the same setting must be conducted after the pandemic to assess whether the lessons identified in their study are retained by most families. Longitudinal studies were recommended to explore child wellbeing trends in multigenerational households in varying socio-economic contexts (Mohangi, 2023). Mashige et al. (2021) encouraged more research on the economic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Research on diverse family structure, family composition, and family dynamics were also recommended (October et al., 2021).
Conclusions
The aim of the present study was to conduct a scoping review to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family wellbeing. Overall, we found that there were only a few relevant studies and minimal use of longitudinal methodologies. The findings of the study also showed that although we conceptualized wellbeing in terms of capacities, inherent resources, and functioning, most of the studies conducted focused on ill-being or dysfunction in economic, social, physical, and psychological wellbeing domains. There were only a few measurements or conceptualization of wellbeing that included positive experiences, such as increased social interactions and strengthening of family relationships. The focus on pathology points to the current focus of wellbeing research on the continent and the need to bridge the gap on understanding wellbeing as a positive state of functioning.
Another key conclusion is the extent to which most studies demonstrated the multifaceted impact of the pandemic. Almost all the studies highlighted how the pandemic impacted different domains of life simultaneously. This emphasis shows the need for holistic interventions even in the aftermath of the pandemic to aid the full recovery of families on the continent.
In terms of the economic impact, studies from West Africa seemed to point to less economic impact as most businesses continued to operate despite the imposed restrictions. This is quite different from Southern and East Africa where measures to ensure adherence to COVID-19 restrictions were more stringent, resulting in a greater economic impact. It is likely that because of health vulnerabilities in Southern Africa and the initial mortality rate in West Africa, individuals’ responses to COVID-19 restrictions varied. More so, the pressure to provide and ensure sustenance in contexts with little government financial assistance may have been responsible for this trend.
Related to physical wellbeing, reports of domestic violence were more prevalent in South African studies. It is possible that other countries published less about this or there was actually not an increase in incidences of domestic violence. South Africa has a history of violence, and aggression against women is not uncommon. The context of the pandemic and accompanying restrictions must have further exacerbated this.
Recommendations drawn from the various studies addressed the different domains of wellbeing. Notable is the need for a multipronged approach to support families on the continent. We suggest that future research can be designed as trend analysis that explores how the pandemic or related events impacted positive aspects of wellbeing, including happiness, family functioning, and social wellbeing. This would inform interventions directed at not only the prevention of distress but also the promotion of wellbeing.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
