Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of children and adolescents worldwide. The German COPSY study is among the first population-based longitudinal studies to examine the mental ...health impact of the pandemic. The objective of the study was to assess changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health in children and adolescents and to identify the associated risk and resource factors during the pandemic.
Methods
A nationwide longitudinal survey was conducted with two waves during the pandemic (May/June 2020 and December 2020/January 2021). In total,
n
= 1923 children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years and their parents participated (retention rate from wave 1 to wave 2: 85%). The self-report and parent-proxy surveys assessed HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-10), mental health problems (SDQ with the subscales emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems), anxiety (SCARED), depressive symptoms (CES-DC, PHQ-2) and psychosomatic complaints (HBSC-SCL). Mixed model panel regression analyses were conducted to examine longitudinal changes in mental health and to identify risk and resource factors.
Results
The HRQoL of children and adolescents decreased during the pandemic, and emotional problems, peer-related mental health problems, anxiety, depressive and psychosomatic symptoms increased over time, however the change in global mental health problems from wave 1 to wave 2 was not significant, and some changes were negligible. Socially disadvantaged children and children of mentally burdened parents were at particular risk of impaired mental health, while female gender and older age were associated with fewer mental health problems. A positive family climate and social support supported the mental health of children and adolescents during the pandemic.
Discussion
Health promotion, prevention and intervention strategies could support children and adolescents in coping with the pandemic and protect and maintain their mental health.
We examine the effects of Covid-19 and related restrictions on individuals with dependent children in Germany. We specifically focus on the role of day care center and school closures, which may be ...regarded as a “disruptive exogenous shock” to family life. We make use of a novel representative survey of parental well-being collected in May and June 2020 in Germany, when schools and day care centers were closed but while other measures had been relaxed and new infections were low. In our descriptive analysis, we compare well-being during this period with a pre-crisis period for different groups. In a difference-in-differences design, we compare the change for individuals with children to the change for individuals without children, accounting for unrelated trends as well as potential survey mode and context effects. We find that the crisis lowered the relative well-being of individuals with children, especially for individuals with young children, for women, and for persons with lower secondary schooling qualifications. Our results suggest that public policy measures taken to contain Covid-19 can have large effects on family well-being, with implications for child development and parental labor market outcomes.
The German population-based longitudinal COVID-19 andPsychological Health study monitors changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health of children and adolescents during the ...COVID-19 pandemic and identifies vulnerable groups.
A nationwide, population-based survey was conducted in May 2020 to June 2020 (Wave 1), December 2020 to January 2021 (Wave 2), and September 2021 to October 2021 (Wave 3). In total, n = 2,097 children and adolescents aged 7–17 years were investigated using measures to assess HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-10), mental health problems (SDQ), anxiety (SCARED), depressive symptoms(PHQ-2), and psychosomatic complaints(HBSC-SCL).
The prevalence of low HRQoL increased from 15% prepandemic to 40% and 48% in Waves 1 and 2 and improved slightly to 35% in Wave 3 (all differences significant). Similarly, overall mental health problems increased from 18% prepandemic to 29% in Wave 1 and 31% in Wave 2 to 28% in Wave 3 (all differences significant, except Wave 3 vs. 2), anxiety increased from 15% prepandemic to 24% and 30% in Waves 1 and 2 and was still 27% in Wave 3. Depressive symptoms increased from 10% prepandemic to 11% and 15% in Waves 1 and 2 and were 11% in Wave 3. A group with low parental education, restricted living conditions, migration background, and parental mental health problems was at significantly increased risk of HRQoL and mental health impairments.
The prevalence of low HRQoL, mental health problems, and anxiety has been elevated throughout the pandemic. Thus, mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies need to be implemented to support adolescents–particularly those at risk.
For an effective control of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with vaccines, most people in a population need to be vaccinated. It is thus important to know how to inform the public with reference to ...individual preferences-while also acknowledging the societal preference to encourage vaccinations. According to the health care standard of informed decision-making, a comparison of the benefits and harms of (not) having the vaccination would be required to inform undecided and skeptical people. To test evidence-based fact boxes, an established risk communication format, and to inform their development, we investigated their contribution to knowledge and evaluations of COVID-19 vaccines. We conducted four studies (1, 2, and 4 were population-wide surveys with N = 1,942 to N = 6,056): Study 1 assessed the relationship between vaccination knowledge and intentions in Germany over three months. Study 2 assessed respective information gaps and needs of the population in Germany. In parallel, an experiment (Study 3) with a mixed design (presentation formats; pre-post-comparison) assessed the effect of fact boxes on risk perceptions and fear, using a convenience sample (N = 719). Study 4 examined how effective two fact box formats are for informing vaccination intentions, with a mixed experimental design: between-subjects (presentation formats) and within-subjects (pre-post-comparison). Study 1 showed that vaccination knowledge and vaccination intentions increased between November 2020 and February 2021. Study 2 revealed objective information requirements and subjective information needs. Study 3 showed that the fact box format is effective in adjusting risk perceptions concerning COVID-19. Based on those results, fact boxes were revised and implemented with the help of a national health authority in Germany. Study 4 showed that simple fact boxes increase vaccination knowledge and positive evaluations in skeptics and undecideds. Fact boxes can inform COVID-19 vaccination intentions of undecided and skeptical people without threatening societal vaccination goals of the population.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This article discusses three major issues related to tripartite social pacts:
first, the puzzles they present for classic theories of corporatism; second, the
contrasts between the political ...economies of ‘competitive
concertation’ and Keynesian coordination; and third, the problems of
assessing their effects in the context of complex causality. The main focus is
on one specific policy area: negotiated welfare state reforms. The conclusion is
that though such negotiations have dominated the process of welfare state
recalibration in Europe during the 1990s, tripartite social pacts are neither a
necessary nor a sufficient condition for success.
Collecting biomarkers as part of general purpose surveys offers scientists - and social scientists in particular - the ability to study biosocial phenomena, e.g. the relation between genes and human ...behavior. We explore the feasibility of collecting buccal cells for genetic analyses with normal interviewers as part of a pretest for the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP) using a probability sample. We introduce a new non-invasive technique for collecting cell material for genetic analyses and test its quality. We found no technical difficulties in collecting the genetic material and almost all samples collected could be analyzed. However, one third of interviewers reported it was hard to convince panel members to participate. The "biomarker wave" showed no reduction in response rate compared to the previous wave that included no biomarkers and the sample exhibited very little selectivity. We conclude that collecting cell material for genetic analyses with normal interviewers is feasible with no apparent same-wave attrition, though so far we cannot rule out attrition in subsequent waves.
Wohlbefinden von Familien in Zeiten von Corona Huebener, Mathias; Spieß, C. Katharina; Siegel, Nico ...
Wochenbericht - Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung,
07/2020, Letnik:
87, Številka:
30-31
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
Die zur Eindämmung des Corona-Virus angesetzten Maßnahmen brachten große Einschränkungen des alltäglichen Lebens mit sich. … Bisher gibt es kaum empirische Hinweise, welche Effekte etwa die ...Schließungen von Kindertageseinrichtungen und Schulen auf die Zufriedenheit von Eltern haben. Befragungsdaten, die vor und während der Corona-Pandemie erhoben wurden, zeigen: Die Zufriedenheit mit dem Leben im Allgemeinen und auch die mit dem Familienleben sowie der Kinderbetreuung ist im Mai und Juni dieses Jahres insbesondere bei Frauen mit jungen Kindern im Haushalt deutlich geringer. Vorher bestehende Gruppenunterschiede in der Zufriedenheit, beispielsweise differenziert nach dem Alter der Kinder oder der Bildung der Eltern, haben sich verkleinert. Die daraus resultierende relative Abnahme der Zufriedenheit ist am größten für Personen mit Kindern unter sechs Jahren sowie für Mütter und Personen mit Abitur. Vor allem Befragte mit Kita- und Schulkindern bewerten die Corona-Maßnahmen als große Einschränkung. Die Ergebnisse dieses Berichts helfen, die gesellschaftlichen Gesamtkosten der Corona-Einschränkungen besser einzuschätzen. Für künftige Pandemien oder ähnliche Krisensituationen ist dringend zu empfehlen, familien- und bildungspolitische ExpertInnen dauerhaft in Krisenstäben zu verankern, damit die Belange der Familien von vornherein mitbedacht werden. (Orig.).
More than just a few politicians and scientists see an imbalance in policy's primary orientation toward economic goals, especially the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In view of scientific and public ...discourses on prosperity, this report analyzes how voting-eligible Germans, the electorate, rated the significance of different policy areas in 2013 and again at the beginning of 2017. It is based on two representative surveys conducted together with Kantar Public (formerly TNS Infratest), in which respondents were asked to rate the relevance of various policy areas. The areas included were based on the ten social indicators favored by the study commission, 'Growth, Prosperity and Quality of Life,' and 20 out of the 46 indicators the German government uses in its 'Living Well in Germany' Report to describe quality of life. This report shows that the majority of German citizens do indeed view the areas which are described by the indicators as important policy dimensions. In both 2013 and 2017, 'preserving democracy' had the highest relevance. In 2017, 'improved care for old people' was number two, and a 'more effective battle against crime' took (by a very small margin) third place, followed by 'full employment.' While there is a high consensus on the importance of these four goals, the assessment of the importance of further policy goals varies greatly across people, and there are also clear systematic differences in the relevance of policy areas among different social groups. The issue of refugees does not appear as a policy goal in the classifications of the commission and the government, which iswhy it was not included in the survey.
Plenty of people in Germany, including politicians and researchers, believe that gross domestic product (GDP) is an outdated indicator of a society's prosperity. Therefore, at the end of 2010, the ...German Bundestag, the federal parliament, established a study commission (Enquete Kommission) tasked with developing an alternative to GDP for measuring growth, wealth, and quality of life. This commission has now submitted a proposal: to complement GDP with nine additional indicators, covering a wide range of areas such as the distribution of income, biodiversity, and life expectancy. Replacing gross domestic product with a single alternative index was rejected by the commission, however, since it is not possible to reduce citizens' very different wishes and expectations to a common denominator. The ten indicators cover three dimensions of wellbeing - economy, ecology, and social wealth - and hence are called W3 indicators.2 This name, which emphasizes the equal importance of the three dimensions, is concise and memorable enough to position itself alongside GDP. A representative survey of registered voters conducted by DIW Berlin and TNS Infratest shows that citizens generally consider all the new indicators proposed by the commission to be important. Respondents ranked preserving democracy and freedom as the most relevant indicator and further increasing life expectancy as the least relevant. Average per capita income - as an indicator of gross domestic product - is rated as the second least relevant factor. Moreover, the study also shows that opinions on the importance of different indicators vary considerably across socio-economic groups.
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