The indirect health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents: A review.
Tina Ga Oostrom, Patricia Cullen, Sanne Ae Peters
PMID 35272523WHAT IT FOUND
During the pandemic, children and adolescents had anxiety and depression symptoms, lower vaccination rates and emergency visits, and increased online child sexual abuse material.
Fewer reported domestic abuse cases may reflect less detection, not less harm.
Key findings
01Across included studies, reported anxiety prevalence ranged from 7.4% to 37.4%, depression from 6.3% to 43.7%, and both from 6.6% to 31.3%.
02Vaccination coverage was lower during the pandemic, and paediatric emergency department visits were lower, with declines up to 68% in France and 75% in China.
03One police report study found decreased reported child domestic abuse cases, while Europol reported increased online child sexual abuse material.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only observational studies, many cross-sectional, so it cannot show that pandemic measures caused the reported health impacts. Studies varied widely in design, country, population and outcome, so the authors could not combine them statistically or compare them directly. The evidence was early in the pandemic, searched only in June 2020, and may not capture longer-term effects or studies in other languages. Study quality varied, with a median score of 8 and a range from 3 to 9. The child abuse evidence came from a single police district and an online abuse report, and reduced reported cases may reflect less detection rather than less harm. Lifestyle findings came from small specific groups, including children with congenital heart disease and children who were overweight or obese. Included studies often did not separate children from adolescents or report outcomes by age.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read fewer reported child abuse cases as proof that abuse decreased. School closures and social distancing may reduce detection, and online child sexual abuse material increased.