COVID-19 Pandemic Increases the Risk of Anxiety and Depression among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural West Bengal, India

Abstract

About 14% of adolescents experience mental illnesses globally. The rate increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of COVID-related major mental illnesses (depression and anxiety) and their predictors among adolescents. This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 adolescents aged 10–19 years, recruited from rural communities in West Bengal, India. The study areas included 27 subcenters in the Budge Budge II Block, which comprised 191,709 population and 45,333 households. Data were collected from randomly selected households by trained research assistants through house-to-house interviews. Pretested standardized questionnaires, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) for depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) for anxiety, and a demographic questionnaire were used for data collection. The prevalence of anxiety was 35.7% (125 out of 350), and the prevalence of depression was 30.0% (105 out of 350). Females had significantly higher scores of anxiety (6.67 ± 4.76 vs. 3.42 ± 3.17, respectively, p p p p < 0.001 for all). Based on the study results, we recommend that immediate attention is needed for adolescents’ mental health support and coping with stresses following COVID-19.

Keywords

• prevalence
• mental health
• depression
• anxiety
• adolescents
• COVID-19