Health Behaviors in Austrian Apprentices and School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our daily lives, which in turn has impacted health behaviors. Young people have been particularly affected. This study aimed to assess health behaviors in Austrian apprentices and high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether vaccination willingness is affected by health behaviors. Methods: Two online surveys were conducted via REDCap with 1442 apprentices (female: 53.5%, male: 45.4%) from 29 March to 18 May 2021 and 563 school students (female: 79.6%, male: 18.6%) from 19 June to 2 July 2021. The two samples were matched to account for sociodemographic differences and analyses were run on the matched sample. Besides the health behaviors, namely, smoking, alcohol consumption, cannabis consumption, and exercise, health status and vaccination willingness were also assessed. Results: Health behaviors were affected by both education group and gender. Apprentices reported significantly more smoking than high school students and this difference was more pronounced in women (all p < 0.01). Alcohol consumption was higher in apprentices than school students, but only in women (p < 0.01). There was a trend for the two education groups to differ in their cannabis use as well (p = 0.05). Apprentices took part in more weekly exercise (p < 0.0001), but high school students reported better average health status (p < 0.001). When included in the same model, health behaviors did not affect vaccine willingness, but education group did, with high school students showing a higher willingness to receive the COVD-19 vaccine than apprentices. Conclusions: These findings support the argument that education type is an important factor for health behaviors, but this is also mediated by gender. Appropriate interventions for adolescents are needed to prevent adverse health behavior changes following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burdens of Apprentices Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic and How They Deal with Them: A Qualitative Study Using Content Analysis One-Year Post-Breakout

“…Moreover, apprentices with clinically relevant depression, anxiety, or insomnia symptoms were more likely to show problematic drinking behavior, which again highlights the link between mental health and maladaptive alcohol consumption [ 40 ]. Compared to school students, the current sample of apprentices did not only consume significantly more alcohol but also smoked significantly more [ 41 ].…”

“…Since apprentices have been shown to be a burdened group even in the absence of the COVID-19 crisis [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ] and research findings on their state of mental health [ 33 ] and consumption behavior [ 40 , 41 ] during this crisis added to the concern, a qualitative research approach was used to examine what apprentices felt most burdened by during the pandemic and how they dealt with these burdens.…”

Lockdown Due to COVID-19 and Its Consequences on Diet, Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Other Aspects of Daily Life Worldwide: A Narrative Review

“…During an Austrian survey, apprentices reported significantly more smoking than high school students and this difference was more pronounced in women. Alcohol consumption was higher in apprentices than school students, but only in women [ 91 ].…”

Focus on High School: Factors Associated with Creating Harmony between the Educational Transition and Adolescents’ Well-Being

“…According to global trends, adolescents consistently engage in most preventive behaviors and infrequently engage in risky behaviors [ 11 , 41 , 42 ]. Some behaviors, however, require to be more attentively addressed.…”