Somatic Symptoms and Health Risk Behavior in Russian Youth: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: People of many countries have become more susceptible to health risk behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Modern experts have studied psychological, but not psychosomatic outcomes of this susceptibility. Objective: To examine somatic symptoms and health risk behavior, their prevalence and associations among Russian youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: In 2021–2022, 1,050 young Russians aged 18 to 25 years were surveyed. They filled out the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 and a form containing questions about behavioral patterns in relation to sleep, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Among the respondents, 32 % were somatized, 79 % slept less than 7 hours a day, 89 % ate junk food, 40 % smoked regular or electronic cigarettes, 46 % often consumed alcohol, and 81 % had low physical activity. Somatization was more frequent in women, while health risk behavior was more common in men and the respondents with somatic symptoms. Conclusion: It is important to develop and implement programs of psychological education and prevention of somatization and health risk behavior.