Journal Article Epublish
PubMed: 39737457 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1469792
Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on adolescent and youth students' mental health and bullying behaviors after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China.
Front Public Health 12:1469792
Authors: Hong-Jun Song, Cong Wang, Yun-Fei Mu, Jia Cai, Zhongyue Deng, Yu Wang, Ai-Ping Deng, Ting Liu, Bin Li, Yi Huang, Jin Chen, Yan Hu, Bo Liu, Wei Zhang, Lin Lu, Mao-Sheng Ran
Affiliations
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Institute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Institute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Sichuan Second Veterans Hospital, Sichuan, China.
- Jingzhou Mental Health Center, Hubei, China.
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC, Beijing, China. Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Abstract
Background
Vaccination plays an important role in fighting against COVID-19. However, it is unclear about the association among vaccination, mental health, and bullying behaviors in China.
Method
This online survey was conducted to investigate the association among vaccination status, mental health problems and bullying behaviors in students from December 14, 2022 to February 28, 2023 in Sichuan, China. All participants ( = 82,873) were adolescents recruited via their teachers and professors. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Sleep Severity Index Scale (ISI) and Cyberbullying behaviors were tested.
Results
The rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD in participants without vaccination were significantly higher than that in those with vaccination. Moreover, participants with more doses of vaccines had significantly lower rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, school and cyber bullying ( < 0.001). The rates of homosexual orientation, drinking, smoking were higher in participants with three or more doses of vaccines than those with less doses of vaccines ( < 0.001).
Conclusion
This study suggests that COVID-19 vaccination will not only protect students' physical health, but also improve mental health. It is crucial to explore the mechanism between vaccination and mental health problems and bullying behaviors in further studies.
MeSH
Depression, Patient Health Questionnaire, Vaccines, Cyberbullying, Public Health, Vaccination, Bullying, Adolescent, Covid-19, Mental Health, Generalized Anxiety Disorder