The impact of COVID-19 on adolescent wellness in Chicago.
Ogochukwu M Ezeoke, Madeleine K Kanaley, Dannielle A Brown and 4 others
PMID 35234301WHAT IT FOUND
Overall adolescent wellness scores did not significantly change from February to April 2020.
Self-reported balance, learning, and time with friends were lower during the pandemic.
Key findings
01Overall composite wellness scores did not significantly change from before the pandemic to during it (157.6 before, 157.2 during, out of 220).
02Students reported statistically significant lower scores for balance (7.3 before, 6.4 during), learning something valuable or interesting (8.4 before, 7.7 during), and spending quality time with friends (8.0 before, 6.3 during).
03Only 55 of the 95 enrolled students completed the survey at both time points.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only 55 of the 95 enrolled students completed both surveys, so the paired analysis rests on a small group. The authors note that the sample size was limited. The study used self-report and did not test any treatment, so it cannot show what helps. The study did not include a comparison group that was not affected by the pandemic, so it cannot show that the pandemic alone caused the changes.
Declared interests
One author reports research support from NIH, Food Allergy Research & Education, foundations, UnitedHealth Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Genentech, and advisory roles with Genentech, Novartis, Aimmune, Allergenis, and Food Allergy Research & Education. The other authors report no conflicts. The study was supported by NIH and other named funders.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that overall adolescent wellness fell during the pandemic. The overall composite score did not significantly change, and only three individual self-reported items were lower. The study did not test any treatment.