Eve Pouliot (UQAC), Danielle Maltais (UQAC), Marie-claude Simard (CIUSSS de la Capitale Nationale), Sara Séguin-Baril, Danielle Nadeau, Delphine Collin-Vézina, Julie Tremblay et Denis Lacerte

Context: Several studies have documented important negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health, such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression and anxiety (Guessoum et al., 2020; Hou et al., 2020; Marques et al., 2020). Compared to adults, young people are more vulnerable to health problems after a disaster, especially due to their dependence on their families and communities to fulfill their needs. The resource conservation model postulates that disasters are likely to result in significant losses of resources (e.g., living conditions, social support etc.), which may reduce people’s ability to adapt to threats and subsequent resource losses (Hobfoll, 1989). However, pandemic and lockdown measures can also have positive consequences for some youths, by increasing family support, social cohesion and attention to their health status (Brown et al. 2020).

Objectives: This study aimed to document perceived health and well-being of youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Quebec (Canada). How does the context of the pandemic (including related sanitary measures) affect the health and well-being of young people aged 14 to 24 during COVID-19 pandemic?

Method: The research project « My Life during the Pandemic » (MAVIPAN) collected data from 235 young people aged 14 to 24 in Quebec, Canada. Participants completed self-administered online questionnaires between April and December 2020 that documented the following key concepts: occupation, quality of life, stress and anxiety, and resources through school, family, and community systems.

Results: The results show that youth subjective well-being has been affected by the pandemic, particularly in regard to their perceived physical and mental health status. 
They also show mild to moderate levels of anxiety, depression and stress (DASS-21), especially among young people aged 14 to 17 years old.

Conclusion: Overall, these findings suggest that the pandemic and related public health measures had significant negative impact on youth during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. This knowledge also support the design of more effective psychosocial interventions with youth, during and post-pandemic.