Abstract
The COVID-19 global incidence rate among young adults (age 19-40) drastically increased since summer 2020, and young adults were often portrayed by popular media as the "main spreader" of the pandemic. However, young adults faced unique challenges during the pandemic due to working in high-risk, low-paying essential service occupations, as well as having higher levels of financial insecurity and mental burden. This qualitative study aims to examine the attitudes and perceptions of health orders of young adults to better inform public health messaging to reach this demographic and increase compliance to public health orders. A total of 50 young adults residing in British Columbia, Canada, were recruited to participate in focus group in groups of four to six. Focus group discussions were conducted via teleconferencing. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes: 1) risks of contracting the disease, 2) the perceived impact of COVID-19, 3) responsibility of institutions, 4) and effective public health messaging. Contrary to existing literature, our findings suggest young adults feel highly responsible for protecting themselves and others. They face a higher risk of depression and anxiety compared to other age groups, especially when they take on multiple social roles such as caregivers and parents. Our findings suggest young adults face confusion due to inconsistent messaging and are not reached due to the ineffectiveness of existing strategies. We recommend using evidence-based strategies proven to promote behaviour change to address the barriers identified by young adults through tailoring public health messages, specifically by using positive messaging, messaging that considers the context of the intended audiences, and utilizing digital platforms to facilitate two-way communication.
Highlights
When the COVID-19 pandemic first began in early 2020, the focus of public health measures and healthcare systems was to protect seniors and those with compromised immune systems
While early in the pandemic, cases were highest amongst older adults over the age of 65 years old, cases in young adults soon outpaced those of any other age group [2]
In the summer of 2020, the World Health Organization issued warnings citing young adults as the main “spreaders of the virus”, as the COVID-19 incidence rate among the young adult age group was rapidly increasing around the world [3, 4]
Summary
When the COVID-19 pandemic first began in early 2020, the focus of public health measures and healthcare systems was to protect seniors and those with compromised immune systems. This focus was both prudent and understandable given age was, and still is, the strongest risk factor for COVID-19 mortality [1]. In the United States, it was reported young adults between 20–49 years old accounted for more than 70% of the spread in 2020 [5] This age group will likely receive their vaccinations last as countries vaccinate their population based on age, yet they have the highest vaccine hesitancy [6]
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