June 18, 2020 – Social alienation and limited access to contraception and abortion services during the COVID-19 pandemic are affecting the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young adults, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University.
Rutgers University.
The researchers looked at how to deal with these challenges as well as peers and relationships.
The findings were published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Dramatic changes in adolescents and young adults include school closures, possible increases in family time, interruptions in normal trajectories towards increased independence, and very limited or no physical contact with sexual and romantic partners.

Although the pandemic may reduce opportunities for some young people to have sex, interruption of contraception and abortion may remain a significant problem for adolescents and young adults who are able to remain close to their partners during the pandemic, the authors note.
“The good news is that certain services can be addressed through telemedicine, including access to multiple forms of contraception and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases,” said Lesley Cantor, professor and chair of the Department of Global Public Health at Rutgers.
“If telemedicine remains as widely used as it was during the pandemic, young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health may actually improve.”
However,

There is not much data on testing for sexually transmitted infections or seeking abortion treatment specifically for young people.
But despite the clear evidence that abortion is essential and needs to be timely, many states have tried to limit its use by limiting abortion.
The drop in vaccination rates for all children over the age of two is also worrying, with the use of the HPV vaccine, which protects against cancer-causing infections and precancerous infections, plummeting.

LGBTQ youth are also affected, although fortunately, many LGBTQ centers quickly moved support groups and other services online.
Services such as QChat Space are already using digital platforms to convene and support LGBTQ youth.
However, for some young people whose families are not receptive, months of isolation can lead to serious tensions and confidentiality issues, which may further isolate LGBTQ youth.

The social disruption caused by the pandemic affects young people’s health and well-being, but one positive aspect is that young people are digital natives familiar with online platforms and social media.
“Young people are supposed to be independent at this time, so maintaining distant relationships with friends and romantic partners can be particularly challenging for those who have to return home after a period of time.
We think their continued digital connectivity is now working against them and now positive for them.”
David Bell, MD, associate professor of population and family health and pediatrics at the Maiman School of Public Health in Columbia.