A new Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment has found that a range of factors determine the extent to which the pandemic affected young people’s mental wellbeing.
The assessment – by the Wales Health Impact Assessment Support Unit, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre and Public Health Wales –identified the impact on mental wellbeing of those aged 10-24 in Wales.
The findings highlight that key building blocks for good mental health and wellbeing – such as family and social relationships, education and economic security – were all affected ‘at a key time in their lives and development’, said report author Nerys Edmonds.
Factors found to protect young people’s mental health and wellbeing included close relationships with parents, having secure housing with space to study and be outdoors, and keeping in touch with friends and family.
Edmonds said: ‘Young people also demonstrated resilience and adaptation. Many used new coping and thinking strategies to help themselves, and acted to help others.’
The information will be used to help organisations across Wales support those still suffering from the consequences of Covid-19 and to respond to future challenges. With Edmonds calling for ‘a cross governmental and whole-of-society approach’.
Image credit | Shutterstock
