One in five Finnish 15-year-old girls reported being depressed in their daily lives in 2022, according to the WHO and European Health Behaviors of School Age (HBSC) study. I found new data for
The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the health and well-being of children and young people around the world. Several studies have reported adverse mental health effects, especially among those who had limited social support at the peak of the pandemic or who already had poor support systems prior to the onset of the pandemic.
In autumn 2021, concerns were raised about the mental health and well-being of Finnish adolescents, especially the increase in feelings of loneliness and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. The HBSC study explores these trends using survey data from 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Girls’ mental health is more affected than boys
The study found that mental health, especially among girls, continues to deteriorate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Significant numbers of girls report feeling depressed in 2022, with 17-19% of girls aged 13 and 15 reporting feeling depressed every day, up from 2018 increased by 7 to 9 percentage points over time. The negative trends already existing before 2018 have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
“I worry about 15-year-old girls who seem to be facing many mental health issues, including loneliness, morning fatigue and low moods. More than 1 in 4 experience loneliness all the time or frequently ,” said Nelli Lyyra, Senior Lecturer at Jyväskylä University.
“Although loneliness did not increase significantly during the pandemic, it was more closely linked to other mental health problems in 2022 than before,” Nelli said. appear to be more susceptible to the negative mental health effects of
On the other hand, men’s mental health seems to be improving year by year. 1-8% of boys aged 11, 13 and 15 reported feeling depressed daily, and 3-10% reported feeling lonely all the time or frequently, compared to 11-year-olds and 15-year-old boys felt less lonely in 2022 than they did in 2018. The study also found that 13-year-old and her 15-year-old boys are more confident about their future than girls (58% vs. 44%).
“We assumed that the percentage of adolescents who were hopeful about their future would decline, but surprisingly, the percentage of 15-year-old boys who often thought their future was hopeful was , 10% higher in 2022 than in 2018,” said Kristiina Ojala. , a researcher at the University of Jyväskylä. Also, boys were more likely than girls to perceive themselves to be in good or good health.
Associate Professor at Jyväskylä University, Reena Parkari, explains: Gender-sensitive recommendations, policies and practices need to be strengthened in crisis response and recovery efforts. There is a need for a better understanding of health resources that have the potential to reduce disparities between gender groups. It is equally important to understand the mechanisms that explain health trends in boys. ”
Young people with limited support are vulnerable
In 2022, young people who received support from family, friends and/or teachers reported better self-assessments of their health status and lower rates of feeling lonely and depressed frequently.
As we build more resilient societies, we need to consider the role of social support in different settings, such as schools, to help manage the adverse effects of health crises.
“Schools play an important role as a health-promoting environment, not only during the pandemic, but also now as societies seek to reverse the various losses in adolescent well-being, such as health and learning,” Lena said. increase.
About the HBSC investigation
The HBSC survey is an international survey of adolescent health and well-being in Europe and Canada, conducted in close collaboration with WHO/Europe. The survey will be conducted every four years of her life for 11, 13 and 15 year olds.
The Finnish survey is part of a series of national surveys conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in countries across the region, the results of which will be published by WHO/Europe over the next few months.
