Mental Health of Black Youth after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has killed many people in Canada and around the world. To stop the spread of the disease, the Government of Canada implemented several preventative measures, including physical distancing. While these measures helped contain the spread of the disease months after its outbreak, the pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on mental health of the youth. The pandemic poses a "double whammy" for Black youth, as they are at increased risk of mental health problems and Black Canadians are at an increased risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19. However, race-based data on the mental health of Black youth in Canada during or after the COVID-19 pandemic are not readily available. Our proposed work seeks to examine the mental health of Black youth after the COVID-19 pandemic and offer interventions to address mental health risks in this demographic. This project will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will involve up to 30 interviews with Black youths to determine how the pandemic has affected their mental health. Phase 2 will involve a survey of Black youths in Canada. We will develop documentary videos, policy briefs, and webinars based on our findings. Our research will provide much-needed data on reducing the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black youth. Our team has complementary expertise in Black people's health, youth mental health, quantitative methods, qualitative, and participatory action research. Members of the team and partners are well engaged with the Black community.