Youth mental health before and after the control of the coronavirus disease 2019: A nationally representative cohort study of Chinese college students

BACKGROUND: To investigate youth mental health changes over the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using a national probability sample and longitudinal design. METHODS: A representative sample of 4918 Chinese college students were surveyed during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic for the first wave and after the new cases steadily declined for the second wave. Mental health was measured by the ten-question Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10). Logistic regression model was fitted to compare changes in psychological distress before and after the peak of the pandemic. RESULTS: Of the respondents of both waves, 45.04% reported psychological distress during the initial outbreak of the pandemic and 26.49% reported it when new COVID-19 cases steadily declined. Psychological distress significantly reduced after the peak of the pandemic but persisted in some students. LIMITATIONS: The study measured psychological distress once after the initial control of the COVID-19. More psychiatric disorders need to be traced as the pandemic continues to evolve. CONCLUSIONS: Although effective control of COVID-19 benefited young people's mental health, psychiatric disorders continued to be prevalent. Future research public health policies should target the speedy recovery of the high-risk cases with persistent mental health problems.