Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents With Eating Disorders

Abstract

Results |The data set included 81 899 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, with 38 942 girls (49.0%) and a mean (SD) age of 15.0 (1.4) years. Sociodemographic characteristics of the overall cohort and by permission to consent to HPV vaccination are shown in Table 1.Initiation of the HPV vaccine series was 67.9% for adolescents permitted to consent (n = 6470), compared with 61.4% for those not permitted to consent (n = 44 846; adjusted odds ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.01-1.34]). Vaccine series completion was 53.7% among adolescents permitted to consent (n = 5161) compared with 47.9% among those not permitted to consent (n = 35 473; adjusted odds ratio, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.94-1.21]) (Table 2). In the sensitivity analysis, initiation of the vaccine series remained significantly associated with the ability to consent (adjusted odds ratio, 1.16 [1.01-1.34]).Discussion | Laws that permit adolescents to consent to HPV vaccination are either in a scope of laws allowing adolescents to make independent decisions on sexual health, or less commonly, in a more general scope of preventive health inclusive of vaccines. 2 Our analysis showed a significant positive association between adolescents being permitted to consent to HPV vaccination by state laws in their location of residence and increased rates of initiation of the vaccine series. This suggests that policies that permit adolescents to consent to HPV vaccination could be an important strategy toward improving vaccine initiation among young adolescents, when the vaccine is likely to be most effective. Given the cross-sectional nature of these analyses, we are unable to establish causality. States with certain characteristics that are associated with immunization rates may also be more or less likely to pass laws permitting adolescents to give consent. However, it is notable that states permitting adolescent consent to HPV vaccinations are highly diverse with respect to geography, population, and demographic variables. Further work is needed to better understand the associations between policies permitting adolescent consent to vaccinations and immunization rates.

Differing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health: combined population and clinical study

“… 18 The focus of most studies on anxiety and depression has also led to a call for more research to consider the effects of the pandemic on other youth mental health conditions that may have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, eating disorders and addiction. 19 More limited evidence available suggests that pre-pandemic disordered eating is a risk factor for poorer mental health during the pandemic. 8 , 20 However, interpretations of these findings are limited as, again, assessment of mental health was restricted to the period of eased restrictions following the first lockdown.…”

Exacerbation of disordered eating behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic: reply

“…The COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the lockdown and under conditions of social distancing, had a profound emotional impact, including feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. These factors, alongside disrupted school routine, reduced extracurricular activities, poor sleeping habits, and increased use of social media, have made adolescents more vulnerable to worsening eating disorder behaviors [ 4 , 5 ]. As disordered eating behaviors are more common in young people with type 1 diabetes, we believe the COVID-19 pandemic had a more pronounced effect on the development and worsening of ED in this population.…”