Citation

Cheong C, Park J, Park J, Jo H, Lee K, Lee JH, Kim HJ, Choi Y, Kim H, Nehs CJ, Fond G, Boyer L, Rahmati M, Koyanagi A, Smith L, López Sánchez GF, Dragioti E, Woo S, Lee H, Kang J, Kim T, Yon DK. Asian J. Psychiatry 2024; 97: e104085.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104085

PMID

38815441

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about substantial disruptions in the lives of adolescents worldwide through school closures, diminished access to physical and mental health services, and decreased social interactions (Kang et al., 2023). Before the pandemic, a declining trend in adolescent alcohol consumption in developed countries was observed, and studies in South Korea also reported similar decreases in smoking and suicide attempts among adolescents (Jeong et al., 2020, Kang et al., 2018). However, there is controversial evidence about trends in such outcomes. Some research showed decreased alcohol consumption and smoking during the pandemic, while others negated significant changes after the pandemic (Park et al., 2023b, Shin et al., 2023). These discrepancies in previous studies could be attributed to limitations such as small sample sizes or short observation periods. Hence, there is a pressing need for comprehensive research demonstrating the trends and risk factors of adolescent alcohol consumption, smoking, and suicide attempts before and during the pandemic.

• Our nationwide study analyzed the trends and risk factors for alcohol, smoking, and suicide attempts in Korean adolescents (2012–2022).

• The prevalence of all three outcomes (alcohol, smoking, and suicide attempts) decreased before the pandemic but increased during the pandemic.

• Specific policies or social programs focusing on the mental health of adolescents are needed.

Language: en

Keywords

COVID-19; Adolescents; Suicide attempts; Smoking; Alcohol consumption; Pandemic