Publication date: Sep 01, 2024

To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial functioning of individuals with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). Patients with CL/P ≥ 6 years old were prospectively recruited from the Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic of a tertiary children’s hospital. From July-October 2021, eligible patients (or their parent/guardian) were sent a survey regarding their psychosocial functioning before and after the start of the pandemic. The difference between prepandemic and intrapandemic patient-reported outcome scores. Thirty-six patients (20 female, age: 15. 9 +/- 9. 8 years) responded. Most had cleft lip and palate (77. 8%), responded online (69. 4%), interacted remotely via both voice- and video-conferencing (62. 9%), and wore masks routinely (77. 1%). Similar numbers of patients responded independently (27. 8%), responded with the help of a parent/guardian (36. 1%), or had a parent/guardian respond on their behalf (36. 1%). General social-emotional well-being (p = 0. 004, r = 0. 659) and satisfaction with facial appearance (p = 0. 044, r = 0. 610) significantly improved after the start of the pandemic. Compared to their general intrapandemic social-emotional well-being scores, patients reported higher scores while wearing a mask (r = 0. 827) and lower scores while interacting remotely (r = 0. 605), although all were still significantly improved compared to their prepandemic scores (p ≤ 0. 010). Patients also reported significant improvement in social functioning while wearing a mask (p = 0. 036, r = 0. 519), whereas they did not when considering their general intrapandemic feelings/experiences (p = 0. 269, r = 0. 211). Patients with CL/P demonstrated significant improvement in overall social-emotional well-being, satisfaction with facial appearance, and social functioning after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when wearing a mask.

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