Relative to uninfected children, COVID-19 patients aged 8 to 17 years were at a 49% higher risk for new-onset depression or anxiety in 2021, rising to 59% in those with severe illness, according to a University of Utah study published this week in PLOS One.
The researchers mined the Utah All Payers Claims Database to explore the link between COVID-19 infection, illness severity, and risk of depression and anxiety among 154,565 school-aged youth who had private insurance or Medicaid coverage. The average participant age was 10.8 years in 2019, when the study period began, and 48% were girls.
Key contributors to mental illness among children include the pandemic’s direct impacts on daily life, such as school closures, isolation from peers, and disrupted family routines, the authors noted.
“These challenges have likely had long-term consequences for the mental health and well-being of young people,” they wrote. “Moreover, COVID-19 infection itself may play a significant role in the development of mental health disorders among children and adolescents.”
Prioritizing youth mental well-being
Children infected with COVID-19 had a 49% higher probability of experiencing new-onset depression or anxiety. Compared with uninfected youth, those with moderate symptoms had a 40% higher likelihood of incident depression or anxiety, a risk that rose to 59% among those with severe disease.
As society continues to navigate the post-pandemic landscape, prioritizing the mental well-being of younger populations is critical for fostering resilience and ensuring that adequate resources are available to support their psychological recovery.
“At the onset of the pandemic, healthcare efforts primarily focused on treating the physical health symptoms from COVID-19 infection,” the researchers wrote. “The novelty of the virus meant that the psychological impact of the illness took a lower priority compared to the discovery of its cure, leaving a gap in mental health care.”
The findings, they said, underscore the need for targeted mental health interventions for infected children.
“As society continues to navigate the post-pandemic landscape, prioritizing the mental well-being of younger populations is critical for fostering resilience and ensuring that adequate resources are available to support their psychological recovery,” the authors concluded.