Objective:
This review paper aims to synthesize the findings of three studies investigating the complex relationship between digital media use, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, and adolescent mental health during the era of pandemic.
Methods:
The review examines three distinct studies: the first study explores the association between social media usage and symptoms of anxiety. The second study investigates the mental health status of adolescents and youth in Nairobi County, Kenya, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting factors such as isolation, economic hardship, and intimate partner violence. The third study provides a broad examination of the global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people, employing scientometric analysis to delineate key research domains and underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and support mechanisms.
Results:
In general, the studies talk about the multifaceted nature of factors influencing adolescents in terms of mental health, ranging from the impact of digital technologies and social media to broader societal disruptions such as pandemics.
Conclusion:
By synthesizing these findings, this review paper provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between social media use, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Kenya, and adolescent mental health. Support may be important to achieving better outcomes during the outbreak of Covid 19. Due to limited available evidence, more well-designed studies in this area are urgently needed.
Keywords: Child, Adolescents, Mental Health, Covid-10, Pandemic.
Introduction:
In terms of definition, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious viral illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has had a catastrophic effect on the world, resulting in the total number of global deaths attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is at least 3 million, representing 1.2 million more deaths than officially reported (1) . Governments globally have implemented diverse strategies to contain the spread of the virus, often necessitating reduced social interactions and adherence to physical distancing measures. Consequently, young individuals find themselves subjected to prolonged periods of online learning and are experiencing diminished connections with educators, peers, and wider social circles due to social isolation measures, including school closures and limited access to social venues. In this context, the role of social media in digital platforms has emerged as a subject of considerable interest and debate. On one hand, social media platforms offer a novel channel of communication that holds the promise of alleviating the negative effects of isolation by enabling individuals to escape negative emotions, project desired personalities, and regain a sense of connection (2) . However, the prolonged and excessive use of social media among isolated individuals presents a double-edged sword, with the potential to exacerbate rather than ameliorate mental health issues. The relentless exposure to a deluge of information, coupled with the proliferation of misinformation, poses significant risks to mental well-being of adolescents (3, 4). Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health services were limited in low-income and middle-income countries like Kenya, with a particular lack of clarity regarding the mental health burden among adolescents due to insufficient national data. Concerns have been raised about the potential for COVID-19 to exacerbate or trigger mental health challenges in countries with suboptimal mental health services, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Most studies investigating mental health stressors related to COVID-19 have been conducted in developed countries or early epicenters such as China. Despite widespread recognition of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on mental health, there is a dearth of appropriate data focusing on adolescents and youth in Kenya or similar contexts.
In response to the pandemic, Kenya implemented new guidance between March 13th and July 31st, 2020, aimed at addressing mental health, including the National Readiness and Early Response Plan for Mental Health Education and the National Disaster Response Plan (5).
Reference:
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World Health Organization . (2021). The true death toll of COVID-19: estimating global excess mortality. World Health Organization; World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/data/stories/the-true-death-toll-of-covid-19-estimating-global-excess-mortality
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(Fung et al., 2014)
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Kramer, A. D. I., Guillory, J. E., & Hancock, J. T. (2014). Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(24), 8788–8790. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1320040111
Jaguga, F., & Kwobah, E. (2020). Mental health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya: a review. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-020-00400-8