Fatores associados aos impactos psicológicos em adolescentes relacionados ao isolamento social: análise de classe latente

Abstract

Introduction: social isolation led to significant lifestyle changes, resulting in a substantial reduction in physical activity levels and an increase in sedentary behavior. Children and adolescents spent long periods indoors, facing movement restrictions and unable to play outdoors. Consequently, there was greater screen exposure, particularly through social media, apps, and TV programs. Objective: to describe the prevalence and patterns of psychological impacts related to social isolation among adolescents and their association with sociodemographic variables, alcohol use, and screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: this is a cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug prevention program #Tamojunto2.0. The sample comprised 529 eighth-grade students from 73 public schools, randomly selected in the cities of São Paulo, Fortaleza, and Eusébio, between February 2019 and August 2021. The explanatory variables were: (1) socioeconomic level, (2) alcohol use, and (3) screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: it is noteworthy that 48% of the young population had a high psychological impact related to the pandemic and, in this group, suicidal thoughts were present in approximately 75% of cases. Students who reported increased screen time were more likely to belong to the class with high psychological impact related to the pandemic (OR=5.86, CI: 2.30;14.92). Girls were more vulnerable to high psychological impact during the pandemic (OR=25.4, CI: 9.13;70.68). It is also worth noting that adolescents who consumed alcoholic beverages were more likely to have high psychological impacts compared to those who did not consume during the same period. Conclusion: the study highlighted the high prevalence of increased screen use by adolescents, in addition to the occurrence of psychological impacts related to isolation. It is important to highlight that educational programs, such as #Tamojunto2.0, allow for a greater understanding of the reality of adolescents and contribute to the prevention of diseases, especially with the role of nurses in their implementation and coordination, producing health beyond the scope of care. In this context, the role of nurses in these programs highlights the relevance of this professional in promoting health.