The Continued Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Education and Mental Health Among Sub-Saharan African Adolescents.
Journal: The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
Volume: 72
Issue: 4
Year of Publication: 2023
Affiliated Institutions:
Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Electronic address: dwang@gmu.edu.
University of Ibadan Research Foundation, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Nouna Health Research Center, Nouna, Burkina Faso.
Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts.
Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Africa Academy for Public Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Department of Statistics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
Kintampo Health Research Centre, Research and Development Division, Ghana Health Service, Kintampo, Ghana.
Harari Regional Health Bureau, Harar, Ethiopia.
Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.; Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: mina@hsph.harvard.edu.
Abstract summary
This multicountry survey assessed the levels and the determinants of the impacts of the pandemic on education and mental health among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa and the potential factors that may exacerbate these adverse impacts.A phone survey was conducted among adolescents in nine diverse areas in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania between July and December 2021. Approximately 300 adolescents per area and 2,803 adolescents in total were included. The survey collected information on adolescents' sociodemographic characteristics, current COVID-19 preventive measures, and the impacts of the pandemic on daily activities, education, and mental health. Log-binomial models were used to calculate the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for determinants of education and mental health outcomes.Overall, 17% of the adolescents were not receiving any education. Compared to boys, girls were 15% more likely than boys to lack fully in-person education (aPR: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02, 1.30). Rural residence was associated with 2.7 times the prevalence of not currently receiving any education (aPR: 2.68; 95% CI: 2.23, 3.22). Self-reported experience of the current impacts of the pandemic on daily activities was associated with a higher prevalence of possible psychological distress (aPR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.55, 2.24), high anxiety level (aPR: 3.37; 95% CI: 2.25, 5.06), and high depression level (aPR: 3.01; 95% CI: 2.05, 4.41).The COVID-19 pandemic presents continued challenges to adolescents' education and mental health. Multisectoral efforts are needed to ensure that adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa do not fall further behind due to the pandemic.
Authors & Co-authors:
Wang Dongqing D
Adedokun Olufemi A OA
Millogo Ourohiré O
Madzorera Isabel I
Hemler Elena C EC
Workneh Firehiwot F
Mapendo Frank F
Lankoande Bruno B
Ismail Abbas A
Chukwu Angela A
Assefa Nega N
Abubakari Sulemana Watara SW
Lyatuu Isaac I
Okpara Daniel D
Abdullahi Yasir Y YY
Zabre Pascal P
Vuai Said S
Soura Abdramane Bassiahi AB
Smith Emily R ER
Sie Ali A
Oduola Ayoade M J AMJ
Killewo Japhet J
Berhane Yemane Y
Baernighausen Till T
Asante Kwaku Poku KP
Raji Tajudeen T
Mwanyika-Sando Mary M
Fawzi Wafaie W WW
Study Outcome
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