IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i17p10538-d896200.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Anxiety among Adolescents and Young Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Country Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Heba Jafar Sabbagh

    (Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Wafaa Abdelaziz

    (Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt)

  • Waleed Alghamdi

    (Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Maryam Quritum

    (Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt)

  • Nada AbuBakr AlKhateeb

    (Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Joud Abourdan

    (Medical Faculty, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul 34230, Turkey)

  • Nafeesa Qureshi

    (City Quay Dental Practice and Implant Centre, Dundee DD1 3JA, UK)

  • Shabnum Qureshi

    (Department of Education, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, India)

  • Ahmed H. N. Hamoud

    (Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt)

  • Nada Mahmoud

    (Faculty of Dentistry, National Ribat University, Khartoum 1111, Sudan)

  • Ruba Odeh

    (College of Dentistry, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates)

  • Nuraldeen Maher Al-Khanati

    (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Syrian Private University, Damascus 368, Syria)

  • Rawiah Jaber

    (General Courses, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abdulrahman Loaie Balkhoyor

    (Faculty of Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammed Shabi

    (University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia)

  • Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan

    (Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria)

  • Omolola Alade

    (Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria)

  • Noha Gomaa

    (Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada)

  • Raqiya Alnahdi

    (Department of Dental Surgery, Oman Dental College, Muscat 116, Oman)

  • Nawal A. Mahmoud

    (Institute of Creative Art and Design (ICAD), Kuala Lumpur Campus, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia)

  • Hanane El Wazziki

    (Department of Cereal Plant Pathology, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Rabat 10090, Morocco)

  • Manal Alnaas

    (Division of Imaging Science and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK)

  • Bahia Samodien

    (Western Cape Education Department, Cape Town 8001, South Africa)

  • Rawa A. Mahmoud

    (Musculoskeletal Center, International Medical Center, Jeddah 21451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Nour Abu Assab

    (Schools of Awqaf, Directorate of Education, Jerusalem, Palestine)

  • Sherin Saad

    (Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Box 431, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden)

  • Sondos G. Alhachim

    (Health Education Services, Ingham County, Lansing, MI 48933, USA)

  • Maha El Tantawi

    (Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt)

Abstract

(1) Background: Adolescents-and-young-adults (AYA) are prone to anxiety. This study assessed AYA’s level of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic; and determined if anxiety levels were associated with country-income and region, socio-demographic profile and medical history of individuals. (2) Methods: A survey collected data from participants in 25 countries. Dependent-variables included general-anxiety level, and independent-variables included medical problems, COVID-19 infection, age, sex, education, and country-income-level and region. A multilevel-multinomial-logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between dependent, and independent-variables. (3) Results: Of the 6989 respondents, 2964 (42.4%) had normal-anxiety, and 2621 (37.5%), 900 (12.9%) and 504 (7.2%) had mild, moderate and severe-anxiety, respectively. Participants from the African region (AFR) had lower odds of mild, moderate and severe than normal-anxiety compared to those from the Eastern-Mediterranean-region (EMR). Also, participants from lower-middle-income-countries (LMICs) had higher odds of mild and moderate than normal-anxiety compared to those from low-income-countries (LICs). Females, older-adolescents, with medical-problems, suspected-but-not-tested-for-COVID-19, and those with friends/family-infected with COVID-19 had significantly greater odds of different anxiety-levels. (4) Conclusions: One-in-five AYA had moderate to severe-anxiety during the COVID-19-pandemic. There were differences in anxiety-levels among AYAs by region and income-level, emphasizing the need for targeted public health interventions based on nationally-identified priorities.

Suggested Citation

  • Heba Jafar Sabbagh & Wafaa Abdelaziz & Waleed Alghamdi & Maryam Quritum & Nada AbuBakr AlKhateeb & Joud Abourdan & Nafeesa Qureshi & Shabnum Qureshi & Ahmed H. N. Hamoud & Nada Mahmoud & Ruba Odeh & N, 2022. "Anxiety among Adolescents and Young Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Country Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10538-:d:896200
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/10538/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/10538/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Elizabeth A. K. Jones & Amal K. Mitra & Azad R. Bhuiyan, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health in Adolescents: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-9, March.
    3. Julio Torales & Marcelo O’Higgins & João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia & Antonio Ventriglio, 2020. "The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(4), pages 317-320, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Beyhan Ertanir & Wassilis Kassis & Ariana Garrote, 2021. "Longitudinal Changes in Swiss Adolescent’s Mental Health Outcomes from before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Isabel Mercader Rubio & Pilar Sánchez-López & Nieves Gutiérrez Ángel & Nieves Fátima Oropesa Ruiz, 2022. "Psychological Consequences of Fear of COVID-19: Symptom Analysis of Triggered Anxiety and Depression Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-8, October.
    3. Francesco Demaria & Stefano Vicari, 2023. "Adolescent Distress: Is There a Vaccine? Social and Cultural Considerations during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-11, January.
    4. Ankica Kosic & Tamara Džamonja Ignjatović & Nebojša Petrović, 2021. "A Cross-Cultural Study of Distress during COVID-19 Pandemic: Some Protective and Risk Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Rosa Bosch & Mireia Pagerols & Raquel Prat & Gemma Español-Martín & Cristina Rivas & Montserrat Dolz & Josep Maria Haro & Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga & Marta Ribasés & Miquel Casas, 2022. "Changes in the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Associated Factors and Life Conditions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.
    6. Alessandro Germani & Livia Buratta & Elisa Delvecchio & Claudia Mazzeschi, 2020. "Emerging Adults and COVID-19: The Role of Individualism-Collectivism on Perceived Risks and Psychological Maladjustment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Edmond Pui Hang Choi & Bryant Pui Hung Hui & Eric Yuk Fai Wan & Jojo Yan Yan Kwok & Tiffany Hei Lam Tam & Chanchan Wu, 2021. "COVID-19 and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Community-Based Online Survey in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    8. Dana Alonzo & Marciana Popescu, 2022. "A qualitative examination of the mental health impact of Covid-19 in marginalized communities in Guatemala: The Covid Care Calls survey," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(7), pages 1435-1444, November.
    9. Martin Sanchez-Gomez & Gabriele Giorgi & Georgia Libera Finstad & Flavio Urbini & Giulia Foti & Nicola Mucci & Salvatore Zaffina & José M. León-Perez, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic as a Traumatic Event and Its Associations with Fear and Mental Health: A Cognitive-Activation Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    10. Daniela Morniroli & Alessandra Consales & Lorenzo Colombo & Elena Nicoletta Bezze & Lidia Zanotta & Laura Plevani & Monica Fumagalli & Fabio Mosca & Maria Lorella Giannì, 2021. "Exploring the Impact of Restricted Partners’ Visiting Policies on Non-Infected Mothers’ Mental Health and Breastfeeding Rates during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-11, June.
    11. Ewa Kupcewicz & Marzena Mikla & Helena Kadučáková & Elżbieta Grochans & Maria Dolores Roldán Valcarcel & Anna Maria Cybulska, 2022. "Correlation between Positive Orientation and Control of Anger, Anxiety and Depression in Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-18, February.
    12. M. Dolores Merino & Coral Oliver-Hernández & M. Dolores Vallellano & Inmaculada Mateo, 2020. "Is It Possible to Find Something Positive in Being Confined Due to COVID-19? Implications for Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Irene (Eirini) Kamenidou & Aikaterini Stavrianea & Spyridon Mamalis & Ifigeneia Mylona, 2020. "Knowledge Assessment of COVID-19 Symptoms: Gender Differences and Communication Routes for the Generation Z Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Ilaria Cataldo & Dora Novotny & Alessandro Carollo & Gianluca Esposito, 2023. "Mental Health in the Post-Lockdown Scenario: A Scientometric Investigation of the Main Thematic Trends of Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-21, July.
    15. Ying Yang & Yanan Xiao & Yulu Liu & Qiong Li & Changshuo Shan & Shulin Chang & Philip H.-S. Jen, 2021. "Mental Health and Psychological Impact on Students with or without Hearing Loss during the Recurrence of the COVID-19 Pandemic in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-28, February.
    16. Zhenhong Yang & Xiaoying Zhao & Lin Zhu & Yishi Xia & Yixin Ma & Jingyan Wu & Xueqian Xiong & Ni Yang & Miao Lu, 2023. "Research on the Healing Potential of Urban Parks from the Perspective of Audio-Visual Integration: A Case Study of Five Urban Parks in Chengdu," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-25, June.
    17. Juana Inés Gallego-Gómez & María Campillo-Cano & Aurora Carrión-Martínez & Serafín Balanza & María Teresa Rodríguez-González-Moro & Agustín Javier Simonelli-Muñoz & José Miguel Rivera-Caravaca, 2020. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Homebound Nursing Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-12, October.
    18. Hana Sonbol & Hadil M. Alahdal & Rasis A. Alanazi & Khawla Alsamhary & Fuad Ameen, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic Causing Depression in Different Sociodemographic Groups in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-11, June.
    19. Samantha Garcia & Suellen Hopfer & Elouise Botes & Samuel Greiff, 2022. "Associations between Coronavirus Crisis Perception, Perceived Economic Risk of Coronavirus, General Self-Efficacy, and Coronavirus Anxiety at the Start of the Pandemic: Differences by Gender and Race," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, March.
    20. Maja Milošević Marković & Milan B. Latas & Srđan Milovanović & Sanja Totić Poznanović & Miloš M. Lazarević & Milica Jakšić Karišik & Jana Đorđević & Zoran Mandinić & Svetlana Jovanović, 2022. "Mental Health and Quality of Life among Dental Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-12, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10538-:d:896200. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.