2023.04.21 COVID to Donna for referencing - JTDY (1)

The pandemic caused illness and death for millions and altered socio-economic circumstances for many, including children and families in British Columbia (BC).1–2 While children were not the immediate face of the pandemic, they have been profoundly affected by it.3 And now, attention is rightfully being paid to the lasting impact of the pandemic — particularly for children.3–4 (We define “children. [...] Methods We conducted a systematic review examining the impact of COVID-19 on children’s mental health using methods adapted from the Cochrane Collaboration.52 We sought rigorous studies that measured the same quantitative mental health variables both before and during the pandemic in children aged 18 years or younger (or if young adults were included, the majority of the sample was aged 18 years o. [...] COVID-19 and Children’s Mental Health: Implications for Pandemic Recovery Page 20 of 32 © Children’s Health Policy Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 2023 Who in BC was disproportionately affected? The pandemic has upended the lives of many children and families in BC. [...] COVID-19 and Children’s Mental Health: Implications for Pandemic Recovery Page 21 of 32 © Children’s Health Policy Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 2023 These findings can inform next steps, namely making more investments in children’s mental health services and addressing the social determinants of mental health. [...] Rapid systematic review: The impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19.