Blog Post 11 (Week 13) - Covid-19 likely has a "profound effect on mental health", particularly in younger people

This week, I will be analyzing a BBC article titled, "Covid-19 pandemic likely have 'profound' effect on mental health" by Robbie Meredith.

Mental health from Covid-19 likely more profound in younger people

Summary of Article:

According to this news article, a recent study from Northern Ireland found that mental health problems associated with Covid-19 were likely to be "profound and felt for many years." Additionally, the news article reports that there is emerging evidence that young people have been disproportionately affected by mental health issues during the pandemic. An important distinction that the news article makes is between mental health and suicide, and that these two should not be equated in order to avoid the risk of normalizing suicidal behavior. The news article provides suggestions improving mental health in young people, such as, for example, encouraging them "to talk about how they felt, and said family or friends, GPs or confidential services like Samaritans or Lifeline could then offer support."

Science in Article:

The news article mostly focuses on the national statistics of mental health and suicide, but it did say that a recent study from Northern Ireland found that mental health problems were more significant in association with Covid-19. One study I found related to this article is titled, "The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 4,378 UK healthcare workers and ancillary staff: initial baseline data from a cohort study collected during the first wave of the pandemic" by Lamb et al. This study found that healthcare workers, particularly during the early months of the pandemic, showed high rates of common mental disorders and PTSD. Additionally, women and younger workers were more significantly affected compared to other staff workers. This finding is consistent with claims made in the news article that "frontline workers, those hospitalised by Covid or suffering post-infection, and those with fewer social or economic resources" were affected differently compared to the rest of the population.

Another study I found relevant to this news article is titled, "Mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal probability sample survey of the UK population" by Pierce et al. This study examined changes in adult mental health before and during the pandemic. The researchers found that compared to before the pandemic, by April 2020, mental health had deteriorated. This trend was definitely seen among "women, young people, and those with preschool aged children." Once again, this finding is consistent with the news article, especially the statistics about young people aged between 18-24 and 25-34.

Finally, a third study I found is titled, "Mental health in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional analyses from a community cohort study" by Jia et al. This study found that younger, female participants, particularly those within a COVID-19 risk group, were "associated with increased stress, anxiety, and depression." This study also goes on to assess potential risk factors, finding that perceived loneliness and worry about getting COVID-19 were some of the biggest concerns. Ameliorating these risks and boosting positive mood can help with mental health issues. The news article also highlights these risk factors and suggests methods to improve these conditions through support and positivity.

Assessment: Was Science Misused?

Overall, I did not think the science was misused. I think the news article did a good job of highlighting important concerns during the pandemic and utilized the right statistics to demonstrate the profound effects of mental health during the pandemic, especially as they disproportionately affect younger people. I think that it is really good that this article is drawing attention to this issue, but also that it is seeking to remain as accurate and unbiased as possible. The science does not suggest that increased mental health is equivalent to higher suicide rates, and the news article makes sure to make this disclaimer so the results are not misrepresented. Nonetheless, the concern is justified, and the news article goes further to suggest helpful ways to improve the mental health of people during the pandemic: ensuring that people have a safe place to talk with friends and family. I hope that by drawing more attention to mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic, this news article will encourage more people to take mental health seriously and take action regarding the rising number of people struggling with mental health.