A network analysis of the associations between COVID-19-related variables and health across sex, age and educational levels among Ghanaian youths.

COVID-19-related stress was positively associated with fear of COVID-19, psychological distress, and COVID-19-related self-stigma.

• The study used network analysis to identify associations among COVID-19-related variables and health outcomes.
• COVID-19-related stress had the highest centrality across four centrality indices, identifying it as the most pivotal node in the network.
• The cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to August 2022 in Ghana with 1,326 participants aged 12 to 28 years.
• Participants completed psychometric measures assessing fear of COVID-19, psychological distress, perceived stigma, self-stigma, preventive behaviors, believing COVID-19 information, vaccination acceptance, and quality of life.

Fear of COVID-19 was positively associated with preventive COVID-19 behaviors, COVID-19-related self-stigma, and believing COVID-19 information.

• These associations were identified through network analysis conducted on the full sample of 1,326 Ghanaian youths.
• The network analysis approach allowed simultaneous examination of multiple variables and their interrelationships.
• Fear of COVID-19 served as a connecting node linking stress-related outcomes to behavioral and informational variables.

Psychological distress was positively associated with COVID-19-related self-stigma and negatively associated with both physical and mental quality of life.

• The negative associations between psychological distress and quality of life dimensions (physical and mental) were identified in the network analysis.
• This finding underscores the dual burden of psychological distress affecting both physical and mental well-being domains.
• The sample comprised youths aged 12 to 28 years in Ghana, surveyed between June and August 2022.

Physical quality of life was negatively associated with COVID-19-related perceived stigma and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

• The negative association between physical quality of life and vaccine acceptance suggests that individuals with poorer physical health may have lower vaccination acceptance.
• COVID-19-related perceived stigma also showed a negative association with physical quality of life in the network structure.
• These associations were identified in the overall network analysis of 1,326 Ghanaian youths.

The network structures of COVID-19-related variables and health outcomes varied across sex, age, and educational levels.

• Separate network analyses were conducted for subgroups defined by sex, age, and educational levels.
• These differences in network structures highlight the importance of tailored health interventions for different demographic groups.
• The study sample included participants aged 12 to 28 years, allowing for comparisons across age groups within this youth population in Ghana.

The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted among 1,326 Ghanaian youths aged 12 to 28 years between June and August 2022.

• Participants completed psychometric measures assessing eight COVID-19-related and health variables: fear of COVID-19, psychological distress, perceived stigma, self-stigma, preventive behaviors, believing COVID-19 information, vaccination acceptance, and quality of life.
• Network analysis was the primary statistical method used to examine associations among variables.
• The study investigated associations across subgroups defined by sex, age, and education levels.
• The cross-sectional design was acknowledged as a limitation, with the authors calling for longitudinal designs in future research.