The Impact of Household Economic Deterioration Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic and Socioeconomic Status on Suicidal Behaviors in Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study Using 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey Data

Abstract

Objectives: Economic hardship has a serious impact on adolescents’ mental health. The financial impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was more severe for low-income families, and this also impacted adolescents. This study aimed to examine the associations of economic deterioration (ED) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and low socioeconomic status (SES) with adolescents’ suicidal behaviors.Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which included 54 948 middle and high school students. Odds ratios (ORs) of suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts related to ED and SES were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. We calculated relative excess risks due to interaction to assess additive interactions.Results: The ORs for suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts related to combined severe ED and low SES were 3.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.13 to 4.23), 3.88 (95% CI, 3.09 to 4.88), and 4.27 (95% CI, 3.21 to 5.69), respectively.Conclusions: ED and low SES were significantly associated with suicidal behaviors in adolescents. Although no significant additive interaction was found, the ORs related to suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts were highest among adolescents from low-income families with severe ED. Special attention is needed for this group, considering the increased impact of economic inequality due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence, risk factors, and severity of suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Older age, higher annual household income, and spending less than 5 hours per week using electronic devices were found to be associated with a reduced risk of severe suicidal ideation. These ndings suggest that socioeconomic factors and healthy lifestyle choices may have a positive impact on adolescent mental health, which is consistence with previous ndings [54,55].…”

Effects of COVID-19 outbreak on Korean adolescents: Impact of altered economic perception on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and stress levels in an age-, gender-, and BMI-matched study

“…Although adolescents in the Declined ES group in our study showed increased PA and reduced SB while increased severe stress levels, it is essential to provide mental health care for adolescents who are susceptible to perceived deteriorated ES during the pandemic as the increased stress level is a negative indicator of adolescents' mental health. Furthermore, previous studies have focused only on the association between deteriorated economic situation and health status among adolescents [50][51][52]. However, considering that adolescents in the Non-changed ES group in our study exhibited less engagement in PA, high involvement in SB, and increased a mild level of stress compared to adolescents compared to the Declined ES group, it is also necessary to focus on the negative impact on health behavior of adolescents even if there is no deterioration on family ES during the pandemics.…”

Demographic and clinical profile of adolescents suicide attempters admitted to an emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic – a retrospective cohort study using hospital information system

“…It was observed that the prevalence of mental health problems in adolescents during COVID-19 significantly increased compared with pre-pandemic estimates (4,6). Racine et al found, based on a meta-analysis of 29 studies involving 80,879 participants in the age 18 years or younger-from Europe, East Asia, North/Central/South America, and from the Middle East-that the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic doubled compared to the pre-pandemic period (7).…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic, announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 (1) was perceived both by adult and minors as a very stressful period (1,2). Multiple factors were found to be associated with pandemic-related stress such as worrying about infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the deterioration of a household's economic status, social problems (e.g., difficult child-parent relationship, social isolation), school problems (e.g., experiencing difficulty completing schoolwork at home), or suboptimal physical environment (e.g., crowding at home) (3)(4)(5). Previous study has discovered a relationship between pandemic-related stressors and psychopathology-higher exposure to stressors was associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing psychopathology (3).…”