Research reveals link between mental health issues in kids and pandemic

The mental health of children and adolescents has been severely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to researchers based on their analysis of the findings of 17 previous studies. According to the studies, published in 2020 and 2021, mental health problems during the pandemic ranged from depression, sleep disorders, suicidal behavior, high rates of anxiety, stress-related disorders, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, among others .

The studies also noted that hobbies, praying, and listening to music were individual behaviors that had a positive impact on mental health.

“Mental health problems were found in those children who had a low socioeconomic status. Among other factors that led to mental health problems were a lack of social connections and support, adverse family relationships, and restricted mobility, including school closures,” according to Dr. M. Mahbub Hossain of Texas A&M University, co-author of a report published on medRxiv prior to peer review.

“It was also difficult for children and adolescents to receive timely mental health care due to the inaccessibility of school and community mental health resources and services,” Hossain said.

He further added that there is a need for multiple efforts to alleviate the immediate and future social and health consequences of the pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents. The survey results also suggested that less than 2% of high-risk non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are receiving medications that can limit the spread of their illness.

In March 2022, researchers recruited 1,159 people from 37 states who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in PCR tests and asked them if they knew of or had taken effective treatments for the virus, such as monoclonal antibodies or oral antiviral drugs Molnupiravir. or Paxlovid.

Among 241 people over the age of 65 at risk of severe COVID-19, 66% were aware of the treatments and 36.3% had sought them out, but only 1.7% reported using such medications, according to a report published in medRxiv.
Fewer patients were aware of the treatments and had sought them out among patients younger than 65 years. Usage rates were slightly higher than among the older group.

“More awareness of effective COVID-19 medications is needed among the public and health care workers to prevent serious illness and death,” said study leader Noah Kojima, MD, of the University of California at The Angels.