Exploring the gender gap in young adult mental health during COVID-19: Evidence from the UK.
<h4>Aims</h4>To explore the prevalence of a mental health gender gap within a young adult sample during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify the impact of loneliness and domestic time use on young people's, and particularly young women's mental health.<h4>Method</h4&...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305680 |
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| Summary: | <h4>Aims</h4>To explore the prevalence of a mental health gender gap within a young adult sample during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify the impact of loneliness and domestic time use on young people's, and particularly young women's mental health.<h4>Method</h4>Using data from the UK Longitudinal Household Survey (UKHLS), this research examines mental health prior to the pandemic (2019) and during the pandemic (April 2020 until September 2021). A random-effects regression analysis was conducted to examine the effects of loneliness, and domestic factors across age and gender to ascertain their contribution to the mental health gender gap in a young adult population.<h4>Results</h4>Average mental health decline was consistently higher for women compared to men, and young people (ages 16-24) saw a reduction in mental health twice as much as those in the oldest age category (over 65). Loneliness accounted for a share of the mental health gender gap, and a more decrease in mental health was recorded for young women experiencing loneliness, compared to older age groups. Domestic and familial factors did not have a significant impact on young people's mental health.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Although across all ages and genders, mental health had returned to near pre-pandemic levels by September 2021, young people and especially women continue to have worse mental health compared to other age groups, which is consistent with pre-COVID age and gender inequalities. Loneliness is a key driver in gendered mental health inequalities during the pandemic in a young adult population. |
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| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |