COVID-19 orphans-Global patterns associated with the hidden pandemic

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Epidemiology
• Social Science

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant global mortality.
• A substantial number of children have been orphaned due to parental loss during the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the global rate of child orphans per COVID-19 death.
• To identify factors associated with the risk of COVID-19 related orphanhood.
• To examine the relationship between vaccination coverage and orphanhood risk.

Main Methods:

• Ecological analysis framework.
• Utilized an online COVID-19 orphanhood calculator for data estimation.
• Employed descriptive statistics and linear regression models.
• Assessed association with second dose vaccination coverage.

Main Results:

• Significant global variation in orphanhood risk per COVID-19 death observed.
• Higher risk in lower GDP per capita countries (1.56 orphans/death) vs. higher GDP countries (0.09 orphans/death).
• Poverty, lower GDP, and reproductive-aged non-communicable disease (NCD) populations correlated with increased risk.
• Negative correlation found between second dose vaccination coverage and orphans per death.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 orphanhood risk is higher in lower-income countries, linked to younger demographics in COVID-19 deaths and NCDs.
• Vaccine inequity exacerbates the risk, disproportionately affecting children in poorer nations.
• Urgent interventions needed to support vulnerable children in low-resource settings.