Children and Adolescents' Behavioral Patterns in Response to Escalating COVID-19 Restriction Reveal Sex and Age Differences

Copyright © 2021 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved..

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic affects students in a myriad of different ways. Our prospective, longitudinal study in a cohort of students in Hannover, Germany explores behavioral patterns during escalating COVID-19 restrictions.

METHODS: In total, 777 students between the age of 9 and 20 were assessed for their activity engagement, travel patterns, and self-assessed compliance with protective recommendations at six time points between June 2020 and June 2021 (3,564 observations) and were monitored for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection by nasal swab polymerase chain reaction and serum antibody titers.

RESULTS: Activity engagement decreased, but self-assessed compliance with measures such as mask wearing and social distancing was stable during escalating restrictions. Although we found no sex difference during the summer break, when incidence was lowest, females engaged in a higher variety of activities than males for all other time points. Older students engaged in more activities and self-assigned themselves lower compliance values than younger ones. Greater involvement in different activities was seen in households which traveled more frequently. Infection rate in our cohort was low (0.03% acute infections, 1.94% positive seroprevalence).

DISCUSSION: Our study supports the view that, overall, students show high compliance with COVID-19 recommendations and restrictions. The identification of subsets, such as female and older students, with higher risk behavioral patterns should be considered when implementing public information campaigns. In light of the low infection rate in our cohort, we conclude that in-person learning can occur safely if extensive protective measures are in place and the incidence in the general population remains moderate.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:70

Enthalten in:

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine - 70(2022), 3 vom: 28. März, Seite 378-386

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Paulsen, Mira [VerfasserIn]
Zychlinsky Scharff, Anna [VerfasserIn]
de Cassan, Kristof [VerfasserIn]
Sugianto, Rizky Indrameikha [VerfasserIn]
Blume, Cornelia [VerfasserIn]
Blume, Holger [VerfasserIn]
Christmann, Martin [VerfasserIn]
Hauß, Corinna [VerfasserIn]
Illig, Thomas [VerfasserIn]
Jonczyk, Rebecca [VerfasserIn]
Klopp, Norman [VerfasserIn]
Kopfnagel, Verena [VerfasserIn]
Lichtinghagen, Ralf [VerfasserIn]
Lucas, Henning [VerfasserIn]
Luhr, Anke [VerfasserIn]
Mutschler, Frauke [VerfasserIn]
Pietschmann, Thomas [VerfasserIn]
Pott, Philipp-Cornelius [VerfasserIn]
Prokein, Jana [VerfasserIn]
Schaefer, Paula [VerfasserIn]
Stahl, Frank [VerfasserIn]
Stanislawski, Nils [VerfasserIn]
von der Born, Jeannine [VerfasserIn]
Schmidt, Bernhard M W [VerfasserIn]
Heiden, Stefanie [VerfasserIn]
Stiesch, Meike [VerfasserIn]
Memaran, Nima [VerfasserIn]
Melk, Anette [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Adolescents
Behavior
COVID-19
Infections
Journal Article
School

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 23.02.2022

Date Revised 23.02.2022

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.11.021

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM33508107X