Exploring the Gender Gap in Young Adult Mental Health during COVID-19
Author Information
Author(s): Mhairi Webster, Sarkis Manoukian, John H. McKendrick, Olga Biosca
Primary Institution: Glasgow Caledonian University
Hypothesis
To explore the prevalence of a mental health gender gap within a young adult sample during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
Young people, especially women, experienced the greatest reductions in their mental health during strict lockdown periods, likely due to loneliness and social isolation.
Supporting Evidence
- Women experienced a higher level of psychological distress compared to men throughout the pandemic.
- Young people aged 16-24 saw a reduction in mental health twice as much as those over 65.
- Loneliness accounted for a significant share of the mental health gender gap.
Takeaway
This study found that young women had worse mental health during the pandemic, especially when they felt lonely.
Methodology
Data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study was analyzed using random-effects regression to assess mental health outcomes across age and gender during the pandemic.
Potential Biases
Potential omitted variable bias due to the nature of random effects models.
Limitations
The non-response rate across the COVID-19 survey waves was around 70%, which may affect the validity of the results.
Participant Demographics
The study included 141,107 observations from 26,335 unique participants, primarily young adults aged 16-24.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.85
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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