Covid-19 Disparities in Black and Underserved Youth

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

This current study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black youth’s mental health. Consistent with other known racial disparities, Covid-19 has been documented to disproportionately affect the Black community. These disparities interact with, or in part are elevated for, families living in poverty and low-resourced communities (Evans, 2006). This study will examine potential relations between known health disparities for Black families and anxiety levels in Black youth. Given already existing disparities in access to medical and social support pre-pandemic, we are particularly focused on the consequences of adolescents living in low-resourced communities. In order to contextualize these relations, the study will also examine the pandemic’s impact on participant’s economic, social, and mental wellbeing.

For the domain of economic well-being we include parent and child job loss, consequences of job loss, access to healthcare, and access to basic food and shelter needs. The domain of social wellbeing incorporates measures of potential loss of social support systems that exist inside and outside of the household, potential increased exposure to domestic violence and other environmental risks, and the impact of isolation. The domain of education will assess the potential loss of access to education and education materials, and the specific responses (e.g, fully remote, hybrid, in person) implemented by the participant’s schools to adjust to the pandemic. With respect to mental wellbeing we will assess how participants are adjusting to the pandemic, changes in anxious and depressive symptoms, changes in concern regarding obtaining and maintaining basic food and shelter needs, anxiety pertaining to parent’s work status as essential workers, and the participants’ perceived impact on the overall quality of life.

Each of these domains will be assessed through the participant’s responses to self-report inventories including the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory, the Adolescent Social Connection and Coping during COVID-19 Qestionnaire (ASC), the Coronavirus Impact Scale, and the COVID-19 Adolescent Symptom and Psychological Experience Questionnaire (CASPE). Disparities will be assessed through correlation analyses. Participants will complete a battery of assessments in six monthly waves, over the course of six months.

Specifically, data for this submission are drawn from an ongoing, 6-month, longitudinal study of adolescents (ages 13-20). To date, we have recruited 215 parent-adolescent (54% female) dyads at Wave 1 (N=300 is target goal). Demographic information is not yet complete, but the sample includes 10% Black youth and 13% families make less than $40K. In addition, over 60% of the families reported loss of income, loss of job, needing housing or food assistance due to the pandemic. An additional 20% reported change in work hours (both increases and decreases). As an initial exploratory analysis, we will first begin by characterizing the level of disruption in the lives of the participating adolescents. We will then examine, through correlation analyses, the interrelations between domain measures and anxiety over the course of the study. If supported by the data, we will then examine how change in anxiety over the 6 waves was moderated by variation in economic, social, and mental wellbeing.

Authors

• Centia Thomas, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Presenting Author

• Koraly Elisa Perez-Edgar, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kristin A. Buss, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Non-Presenting Author

• Annika Kershner, Pennsylvania State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Venus Ricks, The Pennsylvania State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tennille Hill, The Pennsylvania State University
  Non-Presenting Author