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Newlands F, Lewis C, d'Oelsnitz A, Pinto Pereira SM, Stephenson T, Chalder T, Coughtrey A, Dalrymple E, Heyman I, Harnden A, Ford T, Ladhani SN, Powell C, McOwat K, Bhopal R, Dudley J, Kolasinska P, Muhid MZ, Nugawela M, Rojas NK, Shittu A, Simmons R, Shafran R. " People don't have the answers": A qualitative exploration of the experiences of young people with Long COVID. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 29:783-798. [PMID: 38718276 DOI: 10.1177/13591045241252463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Young people living with Long COVID are learning to navigate life with a constellation of poorly understood symptoms. Most qualitative studies on experiences living with Long COVID focus on adult populations. This study aimed to understand the experiences of young people living with Long COVID. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted (n = 16); 11 young people (aged 13-19) and five parents were recruited from the Children and Young People with Long COVID (CLoCk) study (n = 11) or its patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) group (n = 5). Thematic analysis generated four themes: (i) Unravelling Long COVID: Exploring Symptom Journeys and Diagnostic Dilemmas; (ii) Identity Disruption and Adjustment; (iii) Long COVID's Ripple Effect: the impact on Mental Health, Connections, and Education; and (iv) Navigating Long COVID: barriers to support and accessing services. Treatment options were perceived as not widely available or ineffective, emphasising the need for viable and accessible interventions for young people living with Long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Newlands
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Celine Lewis
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
- NHS North Thames Genomic Laboratory Hub, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Anais d'Oelsnitz
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Snehal M Pinto Pereira
- Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, UK
| | - Terence Stephenson
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Anna Coughtrey
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Emma Dalrymple
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Isobel Heyman
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Anthony Harnden
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Tamsin Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Shamez N Ladhani
- Immunisation Department, UK Health Security Agency, UK
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, St George's University of London, UK
| | - Claire Powell
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Kelsey McOwat
- Immunisation Department, UK Health Security Agency, UK
| | - Rowan Bhopal
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Jake Dudley
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Paige Kolasinska
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Mohammed Z Muhid
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Manjula Nugawela
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Natalia K Rojas
- Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, UK
| | - Angel Shittu
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | - Ruth Simmons
- Immunisation Department, UK Health Security Agency, UK
| | - Roz Shafran
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
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Fergie G, Vaczy C, Smith K, Mackenzie M, Phan TT, Hilton S. Young people's perspectives on addressing UK health inequalities: utopian visions and preferences for action. Health Expect 2023; 26:2264-2277. [PMID: 37427532 PMCID: PMC10632646 DOI: 10.1111/hex.13825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is increasingly recognised by UK researchers and population health advocates that an important impetus to effective policy action to address health inequalities is activation of public dialogue about the social determinants of health and how inequalities might be addressed. The limited body of existing scholarship reaches varying conclusions on public preferences for responding to health inequalities but with consensus around the importance of tackling poverty. Young people's perspectives remain underexplored despite their increasingly visible role in activism across a range of policy issues and the potential impact of widening inequalities on their generation's health and wellbeing. METHODS Six groups of young people (39 in total) from two UK cities (Glasgow and Leeds) were engaged in online workshops to explore views on health inequalities and potential solutions. Inspired by calls to employ notions of utopia, artist-facilitators and researchers supported participants to explore the evidence, debating solutions and imagining a more desirable society, using visual and performance art. Drawing together data from discussions and creative outputs, we analysed participants' perspectives on addressing health inequalities across four domains: governance, environment, society/culture and economy. FINDINGS Proposals ranged from radical, whole-systems change to support for policies currently being considered by governments across the United Kingdom. The consensus was built around embracing more participatory, collaborative governance; prioritising sustainability and access to greenspace; promoting inclusivity and eliminating discrimination and improving the circumstances of those on the lowest incomes. Levels of acceptable income inequality, and how best to address income inequality were more contested. Individual-level interventions were rarely presented as viable options for addressing the social inequalities from which health differences emanate. CONCLUSION Young people contributed wide-ranging and visionary solutions to debates around addressing the enduring existence of health inequalities in the United Kingdom. Their reflections signal support for 'upstream' systemic change to achieve reductions in social inequalities and the health differences that flow from these. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION An advisory group of young people informed the development of project plans. Participants shaped the direction of the project in terms of substantive focus and were responsible for the generation of creative project outputs aimed at influencing policymakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Fergie
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences UnitSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Caroline Vaczy
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences UnitSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Katherine Smith
- Centre for Health PolicySchool of Social Work and Social Policy, University of StrathclydeGlasgowUK
- School of Social and Political ScienceUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Mhairi Mackenzie
- Urban StudiesSchool of Social and Political Sciences, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Thu Thuy Phan
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences UnitSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Shona Hilton
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences UnitSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
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Pediconi MG, Brunori M, Romani S. Back to School after Corona Virus Disease of 2019: New Relationships, Distance Schooling, and Experienced Routine. CONTINUITY IN EDUCATION 2023; 4:105-125. [PMID: 38774900 PMCID: PMC11104357 DOI: 10.5334/cie.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
The Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has upset the students' daily routine, forcing them at first into a sudden transition to distance learning and then to a return to school modelled on the basis of infection containment measures. The present research involved 157 students from schools in central Italy with a mean age of 13.58 years old to investigate the affective impact of the pandemic on the school experience and its components (recess, oral testing, relationships with classmates, and relationship pupils-teachers). The results show that only a few have experienced school interruption in a traumatic way: they have appreciated neither distance learning, nor the return to school; for these teenagers, the school of the past has died. Other adolescents and pre-adolescents tried to replace the face-to-face mode with distance learning, maintaining certain attention to the school even during the quarantine. However, the online mode did not keep its promise. Those who have invested more in digital innovation find it difficult to return to normality today. For all of them, socialization mediated by school experience is decisive in supporting the return to ordinary life after the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michela Brunori
- Department of Economics Society Politics (DESP), University of Urbino, Urbino, IT
| | - Savino Romani
- Department of Economics Society Politics (DESP), University of Urbino, Urbino, IT
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Scott S, McGowan V, Bradley A, Visram S. 'How I'm feeling today, I probably won't be feeling tomorrow'. Using I-Poems to explore young people's changing emotions during the Covid-19 pandemic - A qualitative, longitudinal study. SSM. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH 2023; 3:100239. [PMID: 36817939 PMCID: PMC9927801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Background Relatively little published qualitative research has explored children and young people's (CYP) prolonged or longitudinal experiences of the pandemic, and their emotional responses to such unreserved change to everyday life. As part of a broader, qualitative longitudinal study, this paper explores change and continuity in young people's emotions over time during the Covid-19 pandemic in North East England. Methods I-Poems were curated for each of the 26 young people in this study from serial interview transcripts and diary entries, collected over the course of 16 months. Creation of I-Poems require researchers to focus on sentences made by the interviewee that include the word "I," and without changing the order of those sentences, to present them in poetic stanzas. Findings Young people's voices and experiences became more poignant and powerful when their 'I' narrative was centralised, silencing the presence of the researcher. Further, presenting the data in this way allowed us to see how the following emotions shifted over time: grief, sadness, frustration, anger, anxiety, joy, pleasure, excitement. We contend that young people experienced significant rupture and change over the course of our 16 month project, with both positive and negative repercussions for their emotional wellbeing. Conclusions Large scale (quantitative and qualitative) studies remain much needed to focus on the long-term impacts of the pandemic on young people's social, emotional and cultural lives. Longitudinal and creative qualitative approaches (such as I-Poems) have the potential to centralise participant voice, break down power dynamics, and allow exploration of shifting experiences and emotions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Scott
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Building, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK
| | - V McGowan
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Building, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK
| | - A Bradley
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Building, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK
| | - S Visram
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Building, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK
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Fuentes K, Ragunathan S, Lindsay S. Varieties of 'new normal': Employment experiences among youth with and without disabilities during the reopening stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Work 2023; 76:1293-1310. [PMID: 37355931 DOI: 10.3233/wor-230011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working and volunteering in the reopening stages of the COVID-19 pandemic has looked different depending on the location, employment sector and nature of the job. Although researchers have begun exploring the impacts on adults, little is known about what the transition to a 'new normal' in the reopening stages has been like for youth, especially those with disabilities. OBJECTIVE To explore and compare the experiences and perspectives of youth with and without disabilities who were working, volunteering or seeking work during the re-opening stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. METHODS We used a qualitative design involving semi-structured interviews with 16 youth (seven with a disability, nine without), aged 15-29 (mean 22 years). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS Five main themes were identified: (1) Mixed views on being onsite in the reopening stages; (2) Mixed views on remaining remote; (3) Hybrid model as the best of both worlds; (4) Mixed views on COVID-19 workplace safety in the reopening stages; and (5) Hopes, dreams and advice for the future. Apart from the first main theme, there were more similarities than differences between youth with and without disabilities. CONCLUSION Our study highlights that youth encountered various work and volunteer arrangements during the reopening stages of the pandemic, and the personal preferences for particular models depend largely on their employment sector. The areas of agreement among youth highlight some longer-term impacts of the pandemic shutdowns and point to the need for greater mental health and career supports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Fuentes
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON,Canada
| | - Sharmigaa Ragunathan
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON,Canada
| | - Sally Lindsay
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON,Canada
- Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON,Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON,Canada
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Kirkham EJ, Huggins CF, C FR. The Effect of School Bullying on Pupils' Perceived Stress and Wellbeing During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2022; 17:1-8. [PMID: 36573178 PMCID: PMC9771770 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-022-00509-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Establishing how the Covid-19 pandemic and related lockdowns have affected adolescent mental health is a key societal priority. Though numerous studies have examined this topic, few have focused on the wellbeing of pupils who experience school bullying. This is particularly important as pupils who experience bullying represent a vulnerable group at increased risk of mental illness. Therefore, we sought to investigate the relationship between experience of bullying and adolescent wellbeing during lockdown and subsequent re-opening of schools. METHODS We used the TeenCovidLife dataset to examine the relationship between experience of bullying and pupils' perceived stress and wellbeing across three timepoints. Pupils aged 12-17 (n = 255) completed surveys during the first Covid-19 lockdown (May-July 2020), when they returned to school after the first lockdown (August-October 2020), and during the summer term of 2021 (May-June 2021). RESULTS Perceived stress was higher in the group of pupils that experienced bullying than in the group that did not, though this difference between groups was smaller during lockdown than when pupils were attending school in person. Pupils who were bullied showed lower wellbeing across all timepoints. For the full sample of pupils, wellbeing was lowest (and perceived stress highest) at Time 3, one year after the first Covid-19 lockdown. CONCLUSION The findings challenge previous assumptions that Covid-19 lockdowns were associated with a generalised decline in adolescent mental health. Instead, the picture is more nuanced, with perceived stress, though not wellbeing, varying according pupils' experiences of school bullying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J. Kirkham
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Morningside Terrace, EH10 5HF Edinburgh, UK
| | - C. F. Huggins
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Fawns-Ritchie C
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Division of Psychology, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
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Ravaccia GG, Johnson SL, Morgan N, Lereya ST, Edbrooke-Childs J. Experiences of Using the Digital Support Tool MeeToo: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Pediatr Parent 2022; 5:e37424. [PMID: 36264619 PMCID: PMC9629342 DOI: 10.2196/37424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digital peer support is an increasingly used form of mental health support for young people. However, there is a need for more research on the impact of digital peer support and why it has an impact. OBJECTIVE The aim of this research is to examine young people's experiences of using a digital peer support tool: MeeToo. After the time of writing, MeeToo has changed their name to Tellmi. MeeToo is an anonymous, fully moderated peer support tool for young people aged 11-25 years. There were two research questions: (1) What impacts did using MeeToo have on young people? (2) Why did using MeeToo have these impacts on young people? METHODS A mixed methods study was conducted. It involved secondary analysis of routinely collected feedback questionnaires, which were completed at two time points (T1 and T2) 2-3 months apart. Questionnaires asked about young people's (N=876) experience of using MeeToo, mental health empowerment, and well-being. Primary data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 young people. RESULTS Overall, 398 (45.4%) of 876 young people completed the T1 questionnaire, 559 (63.8%) completed the T2 questionnaire, and 81 (9.2%) completed both. Descriptive statistics from the cross-sectional analysis of the questionnaires identified a range of positive impacts of using MeeToo, which included making it easier to talk about difficult things, being part of a supportive community, providing new ways to help oneself, feeling better, and feeling less alone. Subgroup analysis (paired-sample t test) of 58 young females who had completed both T1 and T2 questionnaires showed a small but statistically significant increase in levels of patient activation, one of the subscales of the mental health empowerment scale: time 1 mean=1.83 (95% CI 1.72-1.95), time 2 mean=2.00 (95% CI 1.89-2.11), t59=2.15, and P=.04. Anonymity and the MeeToo sense of community were identified from interviews as possible reasons for why using MeeToo had these impacts. Anonymity helped to create a safe space in which users could express their feelings, thoughts, and experiences freely without the fear of being judged by others. The MeeToo sense of community was described as a valuable form of social connectedness, which in turn had a positive impact on young people's mental health and made them feel less isolated and alone. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this research showed a range of positive impacts and possible processes for young people using MeeToo. Future research is needed to examine how these impacts and processes can be sustained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Gaia Ravaccia
- Evidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Laura Johnson
- Evidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas Morgan
- Evidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
| | - Suzet Tanya Lereya
- Evidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Edbrooke-Childs
- Evidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
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Strömmer ST, Sivaramakrishnan D, Shaw SC, Morrison K, Barrett M, Manner J, Jenner S, Hughes T, Hardy-Johnson P, Andreas M, Lovelock D, Paramananthan S, Bagust L, Buelo A, Woods-Townsend K, Burgess RA, Kanu N, Gul M, Matthews T, Smith-Gul A, Barker M, Jepson R. Young people’s experiences of COVID-19 messaging at the start of the UK lockdown: lessons for positive engagement and information sharing. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:352. [PMID: 35183137 PMCID: PMC8857402 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12755-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
To reduce COVID-19 infection rates during the initial stages of the pandemic, the UK Government mandated a strict period of restriction on freedom of movement or ‘lockdown’. For young people, closure of schools and higher education institutions and social distancing rules may have been particularly challenging, coming at a critical time in their lives for social and emotional development. This study explored young people’s experiences of the UK Government’s initial response to the pandemic and related government messaging.
Methods
This qualitative study combines data from research groups at the University of Southampton, University of Edinburgh and University College London. Thirty-six online focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 150 young people (Southampton: n = 69; FGD = 7; Edinburgh: n = 41; FGD = 5; UCL: n = 40; FGD = 24). Thematic analysis was conducted to explore how young people viewed the government’s response and messaging and to develop recommendations for how to best involve young people in addressing similar crises in the future.
Results
The abrupt onset of lockdown left young people shocked, confused and feeling ignored by government and media messaging. Despite this, they were motivated to adhere to government advice by the hope that life might soon return to normal. They felt a responsibility to help with the pandemic response, and wanted to be productive with their time, but saw few opportunities to volunteer.
Conclusions
Young people want to be listened to and feel they have a part to play in responding to a national crisis such as the COVID-19 epidemic. To reduce the likelihood of disenfranchising the next generation, Government and the media should focus on developing messaging that reflects young people’s values and concerns and to provide opportunities for young people to become involved in responses to future crises.
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Happier during lockdown: a descriptive analysis of self-reported wellbeing in 17,000 UK school students during Covid-19 lockdown. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 32:1131-1146. [PMID: 35174418 PMCID: PMC8853175 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01934-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Relatively little research has focused on children and young people (CYP) whose mental health and wellbeing improved during Covid-19 lockdown measures. We aimed to (1) determine the proportion of CYP who self-reported improvement in their mental wellbeing during the first Covid-19 lockdown and (2) describe the characteristics of this group in relation to their peers. We conducted a descriptive analysis of data from the 2020 OxWell Student Survey, a self-report, cross-sectional survey of English CYP. A total of 16,940 CYP primarily aged 8-18 years reported on change in mental wellbeing during lockdown. We characterised these CYP in terms of school, home, relational, and lifestyle factors as well as feelings about returning to school. One-third (33%) of CYP reported improved mental wellbeing during the first UK national lockdown. Compared with peers who reported no change or deterioration, a higher proportion of CYP with improved mental wellbeing reported improved relationships with friends and family, less loneliness and exclusion, reduced bullying, better management of school tasks, and more sleep and exercise during lockdown. In conclusion, a sizeable minority of CYP reported improved mental wellbeing during lockdown. Determining the reasons why these CYP felt they fared better during lockdown and considering how these beneficial experiences can be maintained beyond the pandemic might provide insights into how to promote the future mental health and wellbeing of school-aged CYP. All those working with CYP now have an opportunity to consider whether a systemic shift is needed in order to understand and realise any learnings from experiences during the pandemic.
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McKinlay AR, May T, Dawes J, Fancourt D, Burton A. 'You're just there, alone in your room with your thoughts': a qualitative study about the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among young people living in the UK. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e053676. [PMID: 35140155 PMCID: PMC8829834 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Adolescents and young adults have been greatly affected by quarantine measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, but little is understood about how restrictions have affected their well-being, mental health, and social life. We therefore aimed to learn more about how UK quarantine measures affected the social lives, mental health and well-being of adolescents and young adults. DESIGN Qualitative interview study. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with particular attention paid to contextual factors (such as age, gender, ethnicity and health status) when analysing each individual transcript. SETTING Data collection took place remotely across the UK via audio or video call, between June 2020 and January 2021. PARTICIPANTS We conducted semi-structured interviews with 37 participants (aged 13-24 years) to elicit their views. RESULTS Authors generated four themes during the qualitative analysis: (a) concerns about disruption to education, (b) missing social contact during lockdown, (c) changes to social relationships and (d) improved well-being during lockdown. Many participants said they struggled with a decline in mental health during the pandemic, lack of support and concern about socialising after the pandemic. However, some participants described experiences and changes brought on by the pandemic as helpful, including an increased awareness of mental health and feeling more at ease when talking about it, as well as stronger relationship ties with family members. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that young people may have felt more comfortable when talking about their mental health compared with prepandemic, in part facilitated by initiatives through schools, universities and employers. However, many were worried about how the pandemic has affected their education and social connections, and support for young people should be tailored accordingly around some of these concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R McKinlay
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tom May
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jo Dawes
- UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daisy Fancourt
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandra Burton
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
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