Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway
Background: Lockdown policies related to the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic has potential negative consequences for mental health in youths. Methods: Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed in 3 572 adolescents, age 13 to 16 using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-10), in a representative longitudinal...
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doaj-3a001c31162e41c095ee720448e9eff42021-03-29T04:11:13ZengElsevierThe Lancet Regional Health. Europe2666-77622021-06-015100093Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in NorwayGertrud Sofie Hafstad0Sjur Skjørshammer Sætren1Tore Wentzel-Larsen2Else-Marie Augusti3Department for Child and Adolescent Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1-3, 0409 Oslo, Norway; Corresponding author.Department for Child and Adolescent Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1-3, 0409 Oslo, Norway; CAMHS Sola, Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, NorwayDepartment for Child and Adolescent Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1-3, 0409 Oslo, Norway; Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (RBUP), Southern and Eastern Norway, Oslo, NorwayDepartment for Child and Adolescent Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1-3, 0409 Oslo, NorwayBackground: Lockdown policies related to the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic has potential negative consequences for mental health in youths. Methods: Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed in 3 572 adolescents, age 13 to 16 using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-10), in a representative longitudinal survey of Norwegian youths between February 2019 (T1) and June 2020 (T2). Predictors for symptom change were analysed with linear mixed-effects models. Findings: Overall, clinical levels of anxiety and depression increased slightly from 5•5% at T1 to 6•3% at T2; Chi square 224•4 (df = 1), p<•001. However, the observed change was driven by the increase in age between assessments. Being a girl, having pre-existing mental health problems, and living in a single-parent household at T1, predicted higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms at T2 (p<•001). Living in a single-parent household was associated with a significant increase in symptoms, also when age was controlled for (p<•001). Living in a poor family however, or having a history of maltreatment, was associated with a significantly lower increase in symptoms (p<•001). Interpretation: Anxiety and depressive symptoms increased slightly in Norwegian youths between 2019 and 2020, but this change seemed to be driven by increase in age rather than pandemic-related measures. Symptom levels were unevenly distributed across demographic groups both before and during the pandemic outbreak, indicating that health disparities persist for adolescents in risk groups during a pandemic . Health inequities related to living conditions need to be addressed in future action plans, and intensified measures to mitigate inequities are needed. Funding: The study was funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Adolescents and Family affairs (Bufdir).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776221000703 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Gertrud Sofie Hafstad Sjur Skjørshammer Sætren Tore Wentzel-Larsen Else-Marie Augusti |
spellingShingle |
Gertrud Sofie Hafstad Sjur Skjørshammer Sætren Tore Wentzel-Larsen Else-Marie Augusti Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway The Lancet Regional Health. Europe |
author_facet |
Gertrud Sofie Hafstad Sjur Skjørshammer Sætren Tore Wentzel-Larsen Else-Marie Augusti |
author_sort |
Gertrud Sofie Hafstad |
title |
Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway |
title_short |
Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway |
title_full |
Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway |
title_fullStr |
Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway |
title_full_unstemmed |
Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway |
title_sort |
adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the covid-19 outbreak – a prospective population-based study of teenagers in norway |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
The Lancet Regional Health. Europe |
issn |
2666-7762 |
publishDate |
2021-06-01 |
description |
Background: Lockdown policies related to the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic has potential negative consequences for mental health in youths. Methods: Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed in 3 572 adolescents, age 13 to 16 using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-10), in a representative longitudinal survey of Norwegian youths between February 2019 (T1) and June 2020 (T2). Predictors for symptom change were analysed with linear mixed-effects models. Findings: Overall, clinical levels of anxiety and depression increased slightly from 5•5% at T1 to 6•3% at T2; Chi square 224•4 (df = 1), p<•001. However, the observed change was driven by the increase in age between assessments. Being a girl, having pre-existing mental health problems, and living in a single-parent household at T1, predicted higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms at T2 (p<•001). Living in a single-parent household was associated with a significant increase in symptoms, also when age was controlled for (p<•001). Living in a poor family however, or having a history of maltreatment, was associated with a significantly lower increase in symptoms (p<•001). Interpretation: Anxiety and depressive symptoms increased slightly in Norwegian youths between 2019 and 2020, but this change seemed to be driven by increase in age rather than pandemic-related measures. Symptom levels were unevenly distributed across demographic groups both before and during the pandemic outbreak, indicating that health disparities persist for adolescents in risk groups during a pandemic . Health inequities related to living conditions need to be addressed in future action plans, and intensified measures to mitigate inequities are needed. Funding: The study was funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Adolescents and Family affairs (Bufdir). |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776221000703 |
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