See us, hear us—Children, youth, and families in Saskatchewan coping with mental health during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic

Nazeem Muhajarine

Tamara Hinz

Impact

  • As a result of SUHU 1.0 seed funding from MHRC-SHRF Dr. Muhajarine and Dr. Hinz secured an additional $568,565 in grants to continue this work. 

  • The outcomes of this project were shared with and used by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and the Chief Medical Health Officer of Saskatchewan Health Authority. The project also received media attention and co-principal investigators presented their work to the public via media interviews (Print, radio and web). 

  • The grant supported the training of 4 young health researchers and 4 medical students, fulfilling MHRC’s vision to build and strengthen the pipeline for young health researchers and professionals.

  • Provided local data of mental health impacts on Saskatchewan youth with the hope this will provide better and more targeted supports for children in these communities.

  • Saskatchewan

  • Grant

  • University of Saskatchewan

  • Saskatchewan Population Health Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU)

  • Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)

  • 2020-2021

  • COVID-19

  • Children (aged 1-12), Youth (aged 13-18), Family Members

About the Project

The research project examines the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and youth (ages 8 to 18) in Saskatchewan. Its objective is to collect useful data on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the mental health of children and youth and their need, access and satisfaction with existing mental health services. Additionally, the collected information was used to recommend improvement in children and youth mental health services and support families in Saskatchewan.

Methodology

Data were collected from 510 children and youth (aged 8-18) and their parent/caregivers (dyads) through bilingual online and telephone surveys. Data collection occurred between February and July 2021. Using previously validated tools data were collected on mental health (e.g. anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, quality of life) and their severity in children and youth, their coping strategies and need for mental health services. The sample has been adjusted to represent the targeted demographic, children and youth, in Saskatchewan.

Findings

  • 24% of children and youth experienced difficulties managing their emotions (i.e., irritability and inability to regulate their emotions) . Such difficulties being most prevalent in the respondents aged between 16 and 18 (30%).

  • 38% of children and youth said their overall mental health was worse during the pandemic, while many others indicated fluctuations in their mental health since the start of the pandemic.

  • 1 in 3 children and youth indicated their quality of life was low or moderate. This prevalence was lowest in the 8-11-year-old age group (29%), next in 12-15-year-olds (34%), and low-moderate quality of life was 43% in the 16-18-year-old group.

  • 1 in 4 children and youth needed mental health services or support; only 13% of those children were getting the help they need. Those who indicated they needed but did not get help were more likely to experience anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation and low quality of life. 

  • BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) children and youth were 27 times more likely to experience high anxiety levels compared to their counterparts. 

  • Children and families have shown resiliency through navigating pandemic-related issues such as children's schooling challenges, mental health issues and parenting adaptations. 

  • Children and youth indicated that hybrid learning (in-person and online) negatively affected their mental health due to low self-motivation and lack of peer interaction, amongst other factors; 48% of youth and children reported a mix of hybrid learning.

Harmful behaviours of adolecences (aged 12 - 18) in Saskatchewan since the COVID-19 pandemic

The figure is shows the (weighterd) percentage of adolescents engaged in harmful beaviours since the COVID-19 pandemic (n=279)

Project Outreach

The project was based in Saskatchewan and included the participation of families and children from numerous communities across the province.The Canadian-based project has contributed to the global literature on mental health and children ad youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resources Created

  • 3 publications (1 published and 2 to be published) and peer-reviewed presentations in scientific conferences. 

  • Numerous presentations to local school boards, to medical school conferences and other key stakeholders such as provincial and national health research centers.

  • 2 research briefs (can be accessed on the following website). 

  • Knowledge mobilization through the creation of infographics and multiple media interviews.

  • Website: https://spheru.ca/covid-19/childrenmentalhealth/childmentalhealth-suhu1.php 

  • MHRC Spotlight on Research Webinar: