91. COVID-19 Impacts and Videoconference Healthcare Preferences in Relation to Depression and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Female Young Adults Seeking Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

Adapting a Counseling-Plus-mHealth Intervention for the Virtual Environment to Reduce Sexual and Reproductive Health Risk Among Young Women with Depression

“…The virtual format is highly suited to the AYA members of MARSSI's focus population, who are likely to have reliable access to technology and be technologically competent (Anderson & Jiang, 2018). Comfort with various aspects of videoconference healthcare, including speaking with a provider about sensitive health topics and having sufficient privacy to do so, has also been reported by young adult women both with and without depressive symptoms (Gluskin et al, 2022). MARSSI participants expressed high satisfaction with the virtual program, including counselor interaction, indicating good rapport.…”

“…Pandemic-related social changes (e.g., isolation, school or workplace closure, illness or death of loved ones, reduced privacy at home, extended time at home) and economic changes (e.g., unemployment, economic insecurity) have been associated with an increase in depressive feelings among young women (Magson et al, 2021;Stavridou et al, 2020;Vindegaard & Benros, 2020;Wang et al, 2020). At-risk depressed AYA women may have been particularly impacted by the pandemic effects on mental health and on SRH care (Gluskin et al, 2022;Mmeje et al, 2020;Stavridou et al, 2020). The pandemic therefore produced greater need for interventions like MARSSI and, at the same time, created difficulties around its delivery.…”