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Young Adults with Chronic Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison with Healthy Peers, Risk and Resilience Factors

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  • Ann-Katrin Job

    (Department of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Straße 36-38, 34127 Kassel, Germany
    Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Humboldtstraße 33, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Heike Saßmann

    (Department of Medical Psychology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to psychological impacts for young adults worldwide. Young adults with chronic medical conditions (YACCs) generally experience a higher risk of psychological impairment. This study examined the differences regarding the impact of the pandemic on YACCs compared with healthy peers and aimed to identify risk and buffering factors. A longitudinal survey with n = 272 (51% female) young adults was conducted at three time-points during the COVID-19 pandemic. Symptoms of depression and anxiety, positive mental health, life satisfaction, loneliness, and suicidal ideation were assessed, together with sociodemographic variables. The factors contributing to resilient mental health trajectories during the pandemic were examined. A chronic medical condition was reported by 36.8% ( n = 100) of the participants. Female YACCs, but not male YACCs, experienced significantly more symptoms of anxiety and clinically relevant symptoms of depression more often, and both female and male YACCs reported a significantly lower life satisfaction compared with healthy peers. The corresponding effect sizes were small. YACCs had somewhat higher odds (OR = 1.69) of non-resilient trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with healthy young adults, although the prediction model explained little variance. The same was true for female compared with male young adults (OR = 1.86). YACCs and female young adults appear to be at higher risk for psychological impairment during pandemic situations. The early detection of those with psychological problems is recommended. Further research is needed to examine the disease-specific influences on resilient trajectories and their interaction with gender and other potentially relevant risk and protective factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann-Katrin Job & Heike Saßmann, 2025. "Young Adults with Chronic Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison with Healthy Peers, Risk and Resilience Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(9), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:9:p:1431-:d:1749244
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    1. Laura Panagi & Simon R White & Snehal M Pinto Pereira & Manjula D Nugawela & Isobel Heyman & Kishan Sharma & Terence Stephenson & Trudie Chalder & Natalia K Rojas & Emma Dalrymple & Kelsey McOwat & Ru, 2024. "Mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal analysis of the CLoCk cohort study," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 21(1), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Daniel Lindberg & Kent W. Nilsson & Jonas Stier & Birgitta Kerstis, 2025. "The Pandemic’s Impact on Mental Well-Being in Sweden: A Longitudinal Study on Life Dissatisfaction, Psychological Distress, and Worries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(6), pages 1-16, June.
    3. Meichun Mohler-Kuo & Shota Dzemaili & Simon Foster & Laura Werlen & Susanne Walitza, 2021. "Stress and Mental Health among Children/Adolescents, Their Parents, and Young Adults during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Switzerland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
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