Open AccessPreparing for the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Youth
Author(s) -
Eileen R. O’Shea,
Kathryn E. Phillips,
Kathleen N O’Shea,
Linda Roney
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nasn school nurse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.134
H-Index - 11
eISSN - 1942-6038
pISSN - 1942-602X
DOI - 10.1177/1942602x211052626
Subject(s) - loneliness , mental health , social isolation , anxiety , psychological intervention , psychology , psychiatry , population , depression (economics) , stressor , feeling , pandemic , medicine , multidisciplinary approach , covid-19 , environmental health , disease , social psychology , social science , pathology , sociology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , macroeconomics
The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to have long-term and global effects that the vaccine may not ease. Children and adolescents endured unprecedented periods of loneliness, social isolation, financial stressors, in-home conflicts, changes in living circumstances, and variable access to healthcare, resulting in increased mental health sequelae. Timely recognition of students’ anxiety, depression, and disruptive behaviors will allow appropriate interventions to de-escalate these feelings and prevent suicidal ideations and attempts. As youth return to school, their mental health needs will not subside. School nurses and the multidisciplinary team have a vital role in impacting this population’s already surging increase of mental and behavioral health disorders.