Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Occupation and Mental Health of Students: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an inevitable impact on the health and well-being of young adults. This study aims to gather the literature on how the pandemic impacted the occupation considering the mental health experiences of anxiety and depression of young adult students. A scoping review with thematic analysis was conducted in three electronic databases OVID Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL and the Journal of Occupational Science. Included articles (a) were in the English language, (b) explained the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doing occupations or activities, (c) explained the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, including anxiety and/or depression, and (d) have participants who are all or mostly are students aged 18–25 years old. Findings show that the pandemic has disrupted several occupations, such as school, work, sleep, leisure, physical activity, and social participation, leading to adaptation. The studies reviewed indicated a positive and negative correlation between mental health and occupation. Findings imply the benefit for occupational therapists to understand the impact of the pandemic on occupation and mental health. Considering the findings, more peer-reviewed and rigorous studies are needed to evaluate further how the pandemic influences individuals’ overall health and well-being. This will prepare society to overcome future health predicaments.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• students
• occupation
• anxiety
• depression

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.