Emerging Adults' Adherence to Preventative Health Guidelines in Response to COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To examine rates of emerging adults' (EA) adherence to preventative health behavior recommendations during early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate demographic (i.e., gender, years of education, socioeconomic status, school enrollment status, and living situation) and exposure and impact-related correlates of adherence. METHODS: Participants were 273 [M (SD) age = 22 (2.1) years, 55% female, 32% from minoritized groups] EA completed an online survey of adherence to 11 preventative health behaviors recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) during summer 2020. Participants rated adherence via a visual analog scale. Participants also reported demographic information and completed the COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Adolescent and Young Adult Version (CEFIS-AYA). RESULTS: Median levels of adherence to preventative recommendations ranged from 66% to 100%. Highest adherence levels (Mdn > 90%) were reported for quarantining if exposed to COVID-19; covering mouth when sneezing; avoiding the elderly/those at high risk; and avoiding large gatherings. Median adherence was <80% for mask wearing; maintaining a 6-foot distance; avoiding in-person visits with romantic partners or friends; and disinfecting surfaces. Female gender was the only variable significantly associated with overall adherence, and it explained 4% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Following guidelines related to social distancing practices may be particularly challenging for EA, possibly because of unique developmental needs of this group, and males may be at greater risk for non-adherence to CDC recommendations. Therefore, public health messaging and adherence intervention development should be designed with males and social distancing practices in mind.

School Functioning in Adolescents With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: An Examination of Disease and Demographic Correlates.

Background: Symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can interfere with optimal psychosocial functioning of adolescents, including school functioning. School functioning can be broadly conceptualized as involving attendance, academic performance, and participation in academic and extracurricular activities. However, previous research has largely examined the impact of IBD on school attendance. The present study aimed to describe school attendance, performance, and participation in a sample of adolescents with IBD and to examine demographic and disease-related correlates of poorer school functioning. Methods: One-hundred sixty-one adolescent-parent dyads (M [SD] adolescent age = 14.5 [1.9] years, 43% female) completed questionnaires assessing demographics, school attendance, performance, and participation. Clinical disease activity was rated by physicians at the time of study enrollment. Results: Difficulties with school attendance were reported, with nearly three-quarters of participants reporting school absences due to visits with doctors or hospitalizations and just under half of the sample reporting general school absences and missing school due to not feeling well. In bivariate analyses, older age was associated with poorer school performance and participation, whereas greater disease activity was associated with poorer school attendance. In regression analyses, greater disease activity and older age emerged as the most salient predictors of poorer school attendance. Older age also emerged as the most salient predictor of school performance and participation. Conclusions: Demographic factors and age in particular were more consistent predictors of school functioning than disease factors. Special attention to older youth and those with active disease may be important to ensure optimal school functioning.