TY - JOUR
T1 - COVID-19 Experiences and Health-Related Implications
T2 - Results From a Mixed-Method Longitudinal Study of Urban Poor Adolescents in Shanghai
AU - Li, Mengmeng
AU - Yu, Chunyan
AU - Zuo, Xiayun
AU - Karp, Celia
AU - Ramaiya, Astha
AU - Blum, Robert
AU - Moreau, Caroline
N1 - Funding Information:
The COVID project is nested within the longitudinal cohort of the Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS) and was supported by a gift from AstraZeneca . The longitudinal cohort of the GEAS is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [ OPP1125119 ], the Oak Foundation [ OCAY-17-649 ], the Packard Foundation [ 2017-66517 ], the UNDP - UNFPA - UNICEF - WHO - World Bank Special Program of Research, and the Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) [ 2019/962212-0 ].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Adolescent health
KW - COVID-19 impacts
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - Gender inequality
KW - Mental health
KW - SARS-CoV-2
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.03.016
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.03.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 35537886
AN - SCOPUS:85129949118
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 71
SP - 30
EP - 38
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 1
ER -