Original Articles
27 May 2025
Vol. 19 No. 2 (2025)
Gender differences and post-pandemic mental health impacts: a mediation study on Vietnamese adolescents
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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This study examines anxiety and depression among 552 Vietnamese adolescents after COVID-19, focusing on gender differences and mental health changes. Using the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale and the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders, we found that 26.3% of participants experienced anxiety and 13.8% had depression. Separation anxiety was most common (33.0%), followed by social phobia (21.2%) and generalized anxiety disorder (16.3%). Family conflicts [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=6.8, p<0.01] and stigma (aOR=22.0, p<0.05) significantly raised depression, while high vaccine uptake reduced anxiety (aOR=0.1, p<0.05). Post-pandemic mental health changes increased depression (aOR=4.3, p<0.001) and anxiety (aOR=3.8, p<0.01). Females were more likely to report depression (aOR=5.7, p<0.01), with post-pandemic changes mediating 60.8% of this effect. The study highlights the need for gender-sensitive mental health interventions in the post-pandemic era.
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How to Cite
Gender differences and post-pandemic mental health impacts: a mediation study on Vietnamese adolescents. (2025). Italian Journal of Medicine, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2025.1888
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