COV0639 - SCAMP-COVID19: a school-based cohort study of COVID-19 secondary impacts on mental health

COVID-19 poses a significant threat to health. The government-enforced public health measures, including social distancing and closure of schools and businesses, also pose other threats to the health and wellbeing of society and its social and economic infrastructure. The Study of Cognition Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) has been studying almost 7000 adolescents (currently aged 15-17) over the past 6 years, from schools across Greater London. It collected detailed information about adolescents' mental health, their use of digital technology, as well as their lifestyle and behaviour, such as sleep and physical activity. We will investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures on adolescent mental health and wellbeing, within the SCAMP study. We will investigate risk factors for mental health problems due to COVID-19 public health measures and their profound disruption to adolescent education and social networks and find out what factors can be changed to boost resilience. This research will investigate questions such as: whether changes in use of digital technology have a positive or negative impact on adolescent mental health; and who is most at-risk of negative outcomes, such as those experiencing more family stress, lack of access to healthy food and outdoor/green space.