New WHO–HBSC data sheds light on COVID-19 pandemic's effects on children and adolescents

Four new reports highlight impacts and recommendations going forward

Copenhagen, 28 June 2023 

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately negative impact on children and adolescents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, those who faced prolonged school closures, and those lacking essential support structures such as family and teachers, according to new data published today by WHO/Europe and the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study.

The data also highlight that, on average and across various indicators, older schoolgirls have experienced the pandemic's effects more than younger boys, with a marked impact on their mental health. This disparity underscores the need for targeted interventions and support systems to mitigate the longer-term consequences for vulnerable groups within our youth population.

The 4 new reports, available via the links below, include data and findings from surveys conducted in 2021–2022 on a wide range of issues, including the role of age, gender, economic background, social support structures and school closures on young people’s experiences of the pandemic, and, most notably, the effects of the pandemic on young people’s mental health.

“COVID-19 has had an unequal impact on children and adolescents, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, whose schools were closed for a long period of time, and who lacked support both at home and school,” said WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge.

“Our new data show that older schoolgirls experienced greater negative effects, especially on their mental health. This calls for urgent action, such as better support at home, at school, and in their social and extracurricular activities. By tackling these disparities and strengthening social support, we can create an environment that protects the well-being of our children and youth during and beyond these crises,” Dr Kluge added.

Dissecting the findings: mental health, school closures, social support

One of the new reports highlights the multifaceted nature of the pandemic's impact, revealing that geographical differences, local health measures, and sociopolitical and cultural contexts all shape the experiences of adolescents. A significant proportion – between 15% and 30% – reported negative impacts across various domains.

The pandemic's adverse effects primarily centred around mental health, physical activity and school performance. However, some positive outcomes were observed, particularly in enhanced relationships with family and friends brought about by closer contact in homes and other settings due to restrictions on physical movement.

While age, gender and socioeconomic background had some influence, the reports underscore that 4 key sources of social support – family, teachers, classmates and peers – had a greater impact in mitigating the pandemic's impact on adolescents.

Alarmingly, adolescents from less affluent families were more likely to report negative impacts of the pandemic on their lives, even when receiving the same level of social support as their wealthier counterparts. This emphasizes the urgent need for additional support for vulnerable populations.

The report focusing on mental health includes findings with important implications, such as 30% of young people reporting a negative impact on their mental health, and 16% of adolescents reporting low life satisfaction, with girls being more affected. The share of low life satisfaction increased with age for both genders, with the gender difference approximately doubling at ages 13 and 15.

Importantly, adolescents who reported negative impacts on their school performance and relationships with family and friends were more likely to experience poor mental health and well-being, including low life satisfaction and higher levels of psychological and physical health complaints.

One of the central findings of the reports is the pivotal role of social support in dampening the pandemic's negative effects on young people. The extent to which adolescents felt impacted by the pandemic was closely tied to the support they received from family, teachers, classmates and peers. Those who reported positive impacts were more likely to have received high social support across all 4 sources, compared to those who reported neutral or negative impacts. Family support emerged as the most influential factor, followed by support from teachers and classmates, with peer support playing a comparatively smaller role.

Finally, the new data show the extent of the staggering duration of school closures experienced across 22 countries and regions from January 2020 to December 2022. An average of 138 school closure days occurred during this period, significantly impacting adolescents' education and placing immense school pressure on them. The data revealed that almost half of adolescents experienced substantial school pressure, with girls, older adolescents and those facing more school closure days reporting higher levels of pressure. 

The findings also point to a strong link between prolonged school closures and increased school pressure, with every 100 days of closure leading to a 74% rise in the likelihood of experiencing school pressure.

Actions to address the needs of children and adolescents

These findings underscore the need for immediate action and policy interventions tailored to the unique needs of children and adolescents during times of crisis. WHO/Europe and the HBSC study urge countries, communities and school administrators to consider the following measures.

• Implement policies and programmes that create supportive environments in schools, families and peer groups, so as to promote and protect young people’s mental health. This includes fostering safe spaces for open conversations, promoting mental health awareness, implementing anti-bullying policies, training teachers on emotional support, and encouraging a culture of empathy and understanding.
• Tailor mental health support programmes to be adolescent-friendly and reflective of age and gender. This can involve training mental health professionals in adolescent-specific issues, ensuring services respect and protect adolescents' rights to privacy and confidentiality, and addressing gender-specific barriers to care.
• Acknowledge the critical role families and peers play in helping adolescents deal with challenges and maintain positive mental attitudes.
• Develop programmes and initiatives that support parents in strengthening their relationships with their children, recognizing the crucial role of family support during crises. Initiatives can include workshops on effective communication strategies, stress management, conflict resolution techniques, and resources on child development and mental health.
• Equip teachers with necessary training and resources to provide robust student support and foster safe, inclusive classroom environments, even in situations of physical distancing or remote learning.
• Offer additional support to adolescents from less well-off families, acknowledging their higher risk of experiencing negative impacts during health crises.

Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of WHO/Europe’s Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, underscored, “By heeding these recommendations, governments, policy-makers and communities can create a supportive environment for young people, safeguarding their mental health, education, and overall well-being during and beyond the pandemic.”

She concluded, “We’ve long known about the pandemic’s impact on our young people, but the data we have confirm our impressions, and provide a foundation for concrete action as we prepare better for what challenges may lie ahead.”

ENDS

Find more information and access the full reports via the links below.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About WHO/Europe

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established in 1948, WHO works with governments and partners worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. The WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) is one of WHO’s 6 regional offices around the world. It serves the WHO European Region, which comprises 53 countries covering a vast geographical region from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.

About the HBSC study 

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study is a unique cross-national research study into the health and well-being of adolescents across Europe and North America, conducted in collaboration with WHO/Europe. The study and its surveys are organized and developed by a network of HBSC national teams that include researchers based in a variety of academic and public health institutions.

Data are collected in all participating countries through school-based surveys using a standard methodology detailed in the HBSC international study protocol, ensuring that the sample is representative of all in the age range.

Press contacts

Ramy Srour, srourr@who.int

WHO/Europe Press Office, eupress@who.int

Links

Coping through crisis: COVID-19 pandemic experiences and adolescent mental health and well-being in the WHO European Region. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people’s health and well-being from the findings of the HBSC survey round 2021/2022 (2023)

https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/369474

Age, gender and class: how the COVID-19 pandemic affected school-aged children in the WHO European Region (2023)
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/369715  

A network of care: the importance of social support for adolescents in the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic (2023)
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/369716  

Navigating uncharted territory: school closures and adolescent experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO European Region (2023)
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/369723

About the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study

https://www.who.int/europe/initiatives/health-behaviour-in-school-aged-children-(hbsc)-study