1. Mental health of Canadian youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining changes in depression, anxiety, and suicide-related outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Author
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Geoffroy MC, Chadi N, Bouchard S, Fuoco J, Chartrand E, Loose T, Sciola A, Boruff JT, Iyer SN, Sun Y, Gouin JP, Côté SM, and Thombs BD
- Subjects
- Humans, Canada epidemiology, Adolescent, Young Adult, Mental Health, Pandemics, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 psychology, Depression epidemiology, Anxiety epidemiology, Suicide statistics & numerical data, Suicide psychology
- Abstract
Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to describe Canadian youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms and suicidality., Methods: We searched four databases up to February 2023 for longitudinal or repeated cross-sectional studies reporting on changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicidality, or related services utilization among young people under 25 years old residing in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed for studies comparing depressive and anxiety symptoms from before to during the first, second, and third COVID-19 waves (up to June 2021), and between COVID-19 waves. Other studies were described narratively. Risk of bias was assessed using an adapted Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist., Synthesis: Of the 7916 records screened, 35 articles met inclusion criteria for this review. Included studies were highly heterogeneous in design, population, and type of change investigated, and many had a high risk of bias. The meta-analyses found that depressive symptoms worsened minimally from pre-pandemic to wave 1 but returned to pre-pandemic levels by wave 2. Anxiety symptoms were broadly comparable from pre-pandemic to waves 1 and 2 but worsened from waves 1 to 3 and from pre-pandemic to wave 1 for girls. The narrative review included several studies that provided inconclusive evidence of increases in services utilization., Conclusion: The current evidence is limited and highly heterogeneous, making it insufficient to draw definitive conclusions regarding the short- to medium-term impact of the pandemic on youth mental health in Canada. Obtaining better mental health surveillance among Canadian youth is imperative., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive license to The Canadian Public Health Association.)
- Published
- 2024
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