2 research outputs found
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Depressive symptoms, mental wellbeing, and substance use among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland: a longitudinal, population-based study
Background: Adolescence represents a crucial developmental period in shaping mental health trajectories. In this study, we investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and substance use during this sensitive developmental stage.
Methods: In this longitudinal, population-based study, surveys were administered to a nationwide sample of 13-18-year-olds in Iceland in October or February in 2016 and 2018, and in October, 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). The surveys assessed depressive symptoms with the Symptom Checklist-90, mental wellbeing with the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, and the frequency of cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use, and alcohol intoxication. Demographic data were collected, which included language spoken at home although not ethnicity data. We used mixed effects models to study the effect of gender, age, and survey year on trends in mental health outcomes.
Findings: 59 701 survey responses were included; response rates ranged from 63% to 86%. An increase in depressive symptoms (尾 0路57, 95% CI 0路53 to 0路60) and worsened mental wellbeing (尾 -0路46, 95% CI -0路49 to -0路42) were observed across all age groups during the pandemic compared with same-aged peers before COVID-19. These outcomes were significantly worse in adolescent girls compared with boys (尾 4路16, 95% CI 4路05 to 4路28, and 尾 -1路13, 95% CI -1路23 to -1路03, respectively). Cigarette smoking (OR 2路61, 95% CI 2路59 to 2路66), e-cigarette use (OR 2路61, 95% CI 2路59 to 2路64), and alcohol intoxication (OR 2路59, 95% CI 2路56 to 2路64) declined among 15-18-year-olds during COVID-19, with no similar gender differences.
Interpretation: Our results suggest that COVID-19 has significantly impaired adolescent mental health. However, the decrease observed in substance use during the pandemic might be an unintended benefit of isolation, and might serve as a protective factor against future substance use disorders and dependence. Population-level prevention efforts, especially for girls, are warranted
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A multi-level developmental approach towards understanding adolescent mental health and behaviour: rationale, design and methods of the LIFECOURSE study in Iceland
Purpose: Identifying and understanding modifiable risk and protective factors that can inform early detection and intervention to prevent adolescent emotional problems and harmful behaviours is among the most pressing modern-day public health challenges. This paper describes the rationale, objectives, methods, and anticipated outcomes of the LIFECOURSE study, a multi-level, bio-psychosocial prospective study designed to advance our understanding of factors that shape adolescent mental health and behaviour.
Methods: Conducted by the Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis at Reykjavik University, LIFECOURSE is a longitudinal population-based developmental study of Icelandic adolescents born in 2004. The study utilizes a comprehensive multi-informant assessment of individual, societal and biological factors measured across the lifespan. Data assembly and collection were conducted from 2016-2020 and utilize both retrospective and prospective data sources: (a) retrospective registry data assembled from seven national databases, (b) prospectively collected social surveys and (c) biomarker samples.
Results: Of the 3914 eligible adolescents, 60.8% (n = 2378) provided informed parental consent and student assent to participate in the study, with approximately half of the participants being female (n = 1175, 49.4%) and the majority being born in the capital area (n = 1455; 61.2%). The coverage of available data from the national databases and participation in the social surveys ranged from 81.7 to 100%.
Conclusions: Major gaps remain in our knowledge of how individual, societal and biological factors across the lifespan-from early life to adolescence-interact and shape the risk for emotional problems and harmful behaviours during adolescence. The LIFECOURSE study was designed to address this knowledge gap