Foláyan Moréniké Oluwátóyìn, Abeldaño Zuñiga Roberto Ariel, Aly Nourhan M, Ellakany Passent, Ezechi Oliver Chukwujekwu, Gaffar Balgis, Ibigbami Olanrewaju Ibikunle, Idigbe Ifeoma Eugenia, Ishabiyi Anthonia Omotola, Khader Yousef, Lawal Folake Barakat, Lusher Joanne, Miranda Kessketlen Alves, Ndembi Nicaise, Popoola Bamidele Olubukola, Quadri Mir Faeq Ali, Virtanen Jorma I, El Tantawi Maha, Nguyen Annie L
MEHEWE Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Front Public Health. 2025 May 21;13:1550719. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1550719. eCollection 2025.
The COVID-19 pandemic substantially impacted mental health. This study explored age-related differences in the mental health and wellbeing of participants during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secondary analyses of data from 21,106 participants collected between July and December 2020 across 152 countries was conducted. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship between the dependent variables and age after accounting for potential confounders. The dependent variables examined were emotional distress, social isolation, sleep pattern changes, sexual activity changes, financial security, housing and food insecurity, changes in family relationships, memory complaints, and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS). Age groups were considered: young adults (18-24), adults (25-49), and older individuals (≥50). The confounding variables were sociodemographic variables namely: sex (male or female), marital status (single or has had a relationship), employment status (employed, unemployed, student, or retiree), educational status (none, primary, secondary, or college/university), country of residence income (low-income countries, lower-middle-income countries, upper-middle-income countries, and high-income countries) and pandemic stringency index indicating the comprehensiveness of pandemic policies adopted at country level.
Of the 21,106 participants, 12,807 (60.7%) were aged 25-49. Compared to those over 50, 18-24-year-olds had significantly higher odds of increased sexual activity (AOR: 4.41), housing insecurity (AOR: 1.73), and PTSD (AOR: 3.22), but lower odds of social isolation (AOR: 0.66), food insecurity (AOR: 0.85), and memory complaints (AOR: 0.53). Similarly, 25-49-year-olds had higher odds of increased sexual activity (AOR: 2.65), housing insecurity (AOR: 2.28), food insecurity (AOR: 1.14), worsened family relationships (AOR: 1.15), and PTSD (AOR: 2.24), but lower odds of social isolation (AOR: 0.84), sleep disturbances (AOR: 0.82), and memory complaints (AOR: 0.81). Emotional distress and financial insecurity did not differ significantly across age groups.
The study highlights age-specific variations in mental health challenges during the pandemic. The nuanced impact of age on mental wellbeing emphasizes the need for targeted interventions. Future research should explore the interplay between age, pandemic-related factors, and specific mental health outcomes to inform tailored support mechanisms for diverse age groups.
新冠疫情对心理健康产生了重大影响。本研究探讨了在新冠疫情第一波期间参与者心理健康和幸福感方面与年龄相关的差异。
对2020年7月至12月期间在152个国家收集的21106名参与者的数据进行二次分析。在考虑潜在混杂因素后，使用多变量逻辑回归模型来确定因变量与年龄之间的关系。所检查的因变量包括情绪困扰、社交隔离、睡眠模式变化、性活动变化、财务安全、住房和食品不安全、家庭关系变化、记忆问题以及创伤后应激综合征（PTSS）。年龄组分为：年轻人（18 - 24岁）、成年人（25 - 49岁）和老年人（≥50岁）。混杂变量为社会人口统计学变量，即：性别（男或女）、婚姻状况（单身或有伴侣关系）、就业状况（就业、失业、学生或退休人员）、教育状况（无、小学、中学或大专/大学）、居住国收入（低收入国家、中低收入国家、中高收入国家和高收入国家）以及表明国家层面所采取疫情政策全面性的疫情严格指数。
在21106名参与者中，12807名（60.7%）年龄在25 - 49岁之间。与50岁以上的人相比，18 - 24岁的人性活动增加（调整后比值比：4.41）、住房不安全（调整后比值比：1.73）和创伤后应激障碍（调整后比值比：3.22）的几率显著更高，但社交隔离（调整后比值比：0.66）、食品不安全（调整后比值比：0.85）和记忆问题（调整后比值比：0.53）的几率更低。同样，25 - 49岁的人性活动增加（调整后比值比：2.65）、住房不安全（调整后比值比：2.28）食品不安全（调整后比值比：1.14）、家庭关系恶化（调整后比值比：1.15）和创伤后应激障碍（调整后比值比：2.24）的几率更高，但社交隔离（调整后比值比：0.84）、睡眠障碍（调整后比值比：0.82）和记忆问题（调整后比值比：也0.81）的几率更低。情绪困扰和财务不安全在各年龄组之间没有显著差异。
该研究突出了疫情期间心理健康挑战存在特定年龄差异。年龄对心理健康的细微影响强调了针对性干预的必要性。未来的研究应探索年龄、疫情相关因素与特定心理健康结果之间的相互作用，为不同年龄组制定量身定制的支持机制提供依据。
