Victoria L Miczajka, Alexandra-Maria Klein, Gesine Pufal
Elementary School Children Contribute to Environmental Research as Citizen Scientists
PloS one
covid19 pandemic related control measures affected mental health populations particular subgroups underrepresented mainstream surveys hard reach study measurements adapted skills subgroups include people lower cognitive literacy skills people mild intellectual disability mid considered vulnerable covid19 pandemic given low socioeconomic status small social networks increased risks health problems difficulties understanding healthrelated information study examined impact covid19 pandemic mental health among people mid andor low literacy skills compared people mainly represented national surveys repeated crosssectional study people mid andor low literacy skills general population sample conducted netherlands easyread online survey codesigned tested among people mid andor low literacy skills conducted three rounds within one year covid19 pandemic t1 novemberdecember 2020 t2 marchapril 2021 t3 septemberoctober 2021 survey contained questions demographics six aspects mental health feeling happy feeling energized stress worry feeling lonely sleeping problems webbased survey adapted recruitment procedure enabled 412 persons mid andor low literacy skills participate t1 351 t2 296 t3 significantly younger lower level education often born outside netherlands compared general population sample half received professional care target group displayed significantly poorer mental health scores general population sample percentages people mid andor low literacy skills reported negative feelings t1 ranged 21 feel lonely often 58 almost never sometimes feeling happy general population sample 5 33 respectively although scores improved time populations disproportional effects remained general disease control measures entire dutch population affected people mid andor low literacy skills negatively general population sample study underscores relevance including people mid andor low literacy skills public health research often overlooked regular health data accessible webbased survey particularly targeted population enabled us reached group respondents significantly different regular survey participants results monitor provided insights health people mid andor low literacy skills gained knowledge care organizations policymakers improve health promotion reduce health disparities unexpected events pandemic well general