Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on anxiety and depression symptoms of young people in the Global South: evidence from a four-country cohort study

ObjectiveTo provide evidence on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of adolescents and young adults who grew up in poverty in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs).DesignA phone survey implemented August-October 2020 to participants of a population-based cohort study since 2002 comprising two cohorts born in 1994-5 and 2001-2 in Ethiopia, India (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Peru and Vietnam. We examined associations between mental health and pandemic-related stressors, as well as structural factors (gender, location, wealth); and lifelong protective/risk factors (parent and peer relationship, past household wealth, long-term health problems, past emotional problems and subjective well-being) measured at younger ages.SettingA diverse, poverty focused sample, reaching those without mobile phones or internet access.Participants10,496 individuals were approached, 9,730 participated. Overall, 8,988 individuals were included in this study, 4,610 (51%) male and 4,378 (49%) female. Non-inclusion was due to non-location or missing data.Main outcome measuresAt least mild anxiety and depression were measured by Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7, ≥5) and Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8, ≥5).ResultsRates of symptoms of at least mild anxiety (depression) were highest in Peru at 41% (32%) [95% CI, 38.63-43.12; (29.49-33.74)], and lowest in Vietnam at 9% (9%) [95% CI, 8.16-10.58; (8.33-10.77)], mirroring COVID-19 mortality rates. Females were most affected in all countries but Ethiopia. In all countries, pandemic-related stressors were associated with increased rates of anxiety and depression, though with varying levels of importance across countries. Prior parent and peer relationships were protective factors for mental health while having a long-term health problem or prior emotional problems were risk factors.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic presents significant risks to the mental health of young people. Mental health support is limited in LMICs and young people have to date been lower priority for COVID-19 interventions.Strengths and limitations of this studyThe study uses data from adolescents and young adults who grew up in poverty in four LMICs which were diversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore investigating a globally vulnerable, but understudied group both in terms of age and wealth.This study reaches a broad sample of young people who grew up in poverty, including those without internet or mobile phone access.A key strength is combining a broad range of pandemic-related stressors from survey data on experiences of COVID-19 with previously measured information on longer-term risk and protective factors, therefore contributing to a more complete picture of COVID-19 effects.A limitation of the study is that it does not have a directly comparable pre-COVID baseline for depression/anxiety, however, proxy variables are used as a baseline and the explanatory variables capture dynamics that happened during the pandemic.A further limitation is possible underreporting due to stigma associated with mental health, despite piloting and validation, as well as possible bias in self-reported experiences of pandemic-related stressors due to feelings of anxiety or depression.