National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Prevention Research Collaboration, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Psychol Med. 2023 Feb;53(3):687-695. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001963. Epub 2021 May 10.
Young people may have elevated risk for poorer mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, yet longitudinal studies documenting this impact are lacking. This study assessed changes in mental health and help-seeking since COVID-19 restrictions in young Australians, including gender differences.
Data were drawn from a recent subsample ( = 443; 60% female; = 22.0) of a prospective cohort originally recruited in secondary school to complete annual surveys. The subsample completed an additional COVID-19 survey during COVID-19 restrictions (May-June 2020), which was compared to responses from their latest annual survey (August 2019-March 2020). Mixed effect models with time and gender as the primary predictors were conducted for: (i) scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression 9-item (PHQ-9) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) modules assessed before and during COVID-19 restrictions, and (ii) self-reported help-seeking from a health professional in February 2020, and the month preceding May-June 2020.
Mean symptom scores increased from before to during COVID-19 restrictions on the PHQ-9 (coefficient: 1.29; 95% CI 0.72-1.86) and GAD-7 (0.78; 95% CI 0.26-1.31), but there was no increase in help-seeking over time (odds ratio 0.50; 95% CI 0.19-1.32). There was no evidence of differential changes by gender.
This study found increases in depression and anxiety symptoms but not greater help-seeking among young Australian adults during the first wave of the pandemic. Increasing availability and awareness of accessible treatment options and psychoeducation is critical, as well as further research into risk and protective factors to help target treatment to this vulnerable age group.
在 2019 冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间，年轻人的心理健康可能面临更高的风险，但缺乏记录这一影响的纵向研究。本研究评估了 COVID-19 限制对澳大利亚年轻人心理健康和寻求帮助的影响变化，包括性别差异。
数据来自一项前瞻性队列的最近子样本（n=443；60%为女性；年龄中位数为 22.0 岁），该队列最初在中学招募，以完成年度调查。子样本在 COVID-19 限制期间（2020 年 5 月至 6 月）完成了一项额外的 COVID-19 调查，并与他们最新的年度调查（2019 年 8 月至 2020 年 3 月）进行了比较。使用时间和性别作为主要预测因素的混合效应模型进行了以下分析：（i）在 COVID-19 限制之前和期间评估的患者健康问卷抑郁 9 项（PHQ-9）和广泛性焦虑障碍 7 项（GAD-7）模块的得分，以及（ii）2020 年 2 月自我报告向卫生专业人员寻求帮助的情况，以及 2020 年 5 月至 6 月前的月份。
与 COVID-19 限制之前相比，PHQ-9（系数：1.29；95%置信区间 0.72-1.86）和 GAD-7（0.78；95%置信区间 0.26-1.31）的症状得分在 COVID-19 限制期间有所增加，但随着时间的推移，寻求帮助的人数并没有增加（比值比 0.50；95%置信区间 0.19-1.32）。没有证据表明性别存在差异变化。
本研究发现，在大流行的第一波期间，澳大利亚年轻成年人的抑郁和焦虑症状增加，但寻求帮助的人数并未增加。增加易得和可负担的治疗方案和心理教育的可及性至关重要，还需要进一步研究风险和保护因素，以帮助将治疗针对这一年龄脆弱群体。
