COVID-19 Experiences and Health-Related Implications: Results From a Mixed-Method Longitudinal Study of Urban Poor Adolescents in Shanghai.
J Adolesc Health
; 71(1): 30-38, 2022 07.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1821322
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
This analysis aimed to investigate gender differences in adolescents' concerns and the health implications of COVID-19.METHODS:
We used two rounds of the Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS) collected in Shanghai in 2018 and 2020. We analyzed data from 621 adolescents, comparing boys' and girls' concerns about COVID-19 and examining trends in general health and mental health by sex between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods. Changes in health indicators over time were assessed using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models.RESULTS:
Adolescent girls reported more health concerns (52.0% vs. 42.7%) and educational concerns (61.0% vs. 46.3%) than boys, whereas boys expressed more worries about the economic consequences of COVID-19 (32.9% vs. 25.4%). Changes in health-related outcomes during the pandemic compared to the prepandemic era differed by sex and varied by COVID-related experiences. Boys reported improved overall health (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00, 2.35) in the COVID-19 period relative to the pre-COVID-19 period. Such improvements were only observed among boys who reported no family economic hardships (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.24, 3.58). We found no significant change for girls (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.83, 1.55), regardless of COVID-19 economic impacts. In contrast, girls reported increased anxiety (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.09, 2.45), especially among those who were concerned about their academic performance (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.16, 2.97). Boys experienced no such increase (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.55, 1.54), regardless of their education concerns.DISCUSSION:
Adolescents' COVID-19 experiences are highly gendered and result in increased health inequalities, with greater mental health implications for girls.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
J Adolesc Health
Journal subject:
Pediatrics
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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