How to Meet the Mental Health Care Needs of Adolescents in the Context of the COVID Pandemic

Most of adolescents affected by the COVID-19 remain asymptomatic or recover quickly and without consequence. However, according to small and large scale surveys published recently, both the immediate and long-term negative impact of the pandemic on their health, their development and their future is huge. In addition, this impact has been until recently ignored or underestimated. Several large scale surveys confirm a raise in depression, anxiety, internet & drug addiction, violence, self-harm and suicidal conducts. The disruption of social life and peer connectedness is heavily linked with the closure of schools and leisure/sports facilities. The response to this situation must be inter sectorial and comprise several measures.

Primary care practitioners should actively discuss with their young patients the many issues that the pandemic induces, such as the risk of transmission to their relatives, the need for vaccination, the usefulness and the adherence to protection measures, or more globally, the questions that the COVID raises regarding their own future and the future of the world. More specifically, as part of the usual approach to adolescent friendly health care, they should actively look for symptoms of distress or mental health disorder, identify needs or even urgency situations, involve the parents and refer appropriately.

In addition, on a larger scale, health care professionals can play a pivotal role in publicly advocating for the continuation, as far as possible, of school, sports and leisure activities. They should encourage politicians and decision makers to actively involve young people in the discussions and decisions about the sanitary measures that the COVID-19 requires.