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Item 80. Disparities in Perceived Vulnerability to COVID-19 Consequences Among U.S. Adolescents and Young Adults: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey(Elsevier, 2021-02) Hensel, Devon J.; Rosenberg, Molly; Luetke, Maya; Herbenick, Debby; Pediatrics, School of MedicinePurpose: Global research has documented the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults (AYA). Pandemic conditions can increase AYA vulnerability to COVID-19-related health (e.g. getting sick or missing medical appointments), social (e.g. not having enough to eat) and economic (e.g. job loss) consequences. Structural inequalities may further exacerbate exposure to these outcomes. We used nationally representative data to examine AYA perceived vulnerability to health/social outcomes early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data were the 2020 National Survey of Sexual and Reproductive Health during COVID-19 (Ipsos Research: Menlo Park, CA, USA), an online, nationally representative survey of COVID-19 experiences and knowledge among noninstitutionalized adults in the United States (all 50 states and District of Columbia). Of all individuals recruited (N=1632; 18-94 years), 1010 (62%) completed the survey. We retained a subsample of participants 18-25 years of age (N=106; 10.1% of the larger study) for our current analytic sample. Participants rated the next 12-week occurrence likelihood of eight COVID consequences (all dichotomized for analsis: no chance + low chance – 25% vs. medium chance – 25% to 75% + high chance - >75%). Illness consequences were: being exposed to COVID-19, getting an infection from COVID-19, being hospitalized from COVID-19, knowing someone with COVID-19, knowing someone who has died from COVID-19. Social/economic consequences were: losing job, partner/spouse losing job, not having enough to eat, parent(s) losing their job, missing important healthcare appointments/treatments. Structural variables were: gender (male/female), age (18-21/22-25), sexual identity (heterosexual/sexual minority [SM]) and race/ethnicity (White/BIPOC). We evaluated the prevalence heterogeneity across structural variables using nonparametric McNemar tests. All estimates were adjusted using Ipsos provided weights to account for sampling differences and/or nonresponse. Results: The majority of AYA in the United States (85%) believed they were vulnerable to 2+ health or social/economic consequences. Significantly more SM (36.4%-57.5%) than heterosexual (23.2%-37.0%; p<.001 both) AYA perceived vulnerability to being exposed to and/or getting an infection from COVID-19. A significantly greater number of BIPOC (16.2%-38.7%) than White (11.4%-18.8%; p<.001 both) believed they were vulnerable to COVID19-associated hospitalization or job loss. More SM (26.4%) than heterosexual (22.4%; p<.001) AYA estimated a medium-to high likelihood they would know someone who died of COVID-19. Significantly more BIPOC than White AYA felt high vulnerability to personal job loss (38.7% vs. 18.8%; p=.015), parent job loss (19.0% vs. 16.3%; p<.001) and not having enough to eat (16.3% vs. 10.0%; p<.001). Conclusions: Nationally, many AYA – particularly sexual minority and BIOPC youth – believe they are highly vulnerability to COVID-19 associated consequences. Professionals who work with youth may consider including screening for COVID-19 worries during clinical/educational interactions as a means of both understanding and normalizing AYA’s experiences, as well as helping them devise support or coping mechanisms, during this unprecedented time. These “check-ins” may be particularly where long-term worry about COVID-19 could exacerbate existing disparities in mental and physical health among marginalized AYA.Item 80. Disparities in Perceived Vulnerability to COVID-19 Consequences Among U.S. Adolescents and Young Adults: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey(Elsevier, 2021-02) Hensel, Devon J.; Rosenberg, Molly; Luetke, Maya; Herbenick, Debby; Pediatrics, School of MedicineGlobal research has documented the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults (AYA). Pandemic conditions can increase AYA vulnerability to COVID-19-related health (e.g. getting sick or missing medical appointments), social (e.g. not having enough to eat) and economic (e.g. job loss) consequences. Structural inequalities may further exacerbate exposure to these outcomes. We used nationally representative data to examine AYA perceived vulnerability to health/social outcomes early in the COVID-19 pandemic.Item Changes in Solo and Partnered Sexual Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Probability Surve(medRxiv, 2020) Hensel, Devon; Rosenberg, Molly; Luetke, Maya; Fu, Tsung-chieh; Herbenick, DebbyBackground Research demonstrates that pandemics adversely impact sexual and reproductive health (SRH), but few have examined their impact on people’s participation in sex. We examined self-reported changes in solo and sexual behaviors in U.S. adults during early stages of the public health response to COVID-19. Methods We conducted an online, nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of U.S. adults (N=1010; aged 18-94 years; 62% response rate) from April 10-20, 2020. We used weighted multinomial logistic regression to examine past month self-reported changes (decreased, stable or increased) in ten solo and partnered sexual behaviors. Predictor variables included: having children at home, past month depressive symptoms, (ACHA 3-item scale), past month loneliness (UCLA 3-Item Loneliness scale), COVID-19 protection behaviors (adapted 12-item scale), perceived COVID-19 consequences (adapted 10-item scale) and COVID-19 knowledge (adapted 10-item scale). Results Nearly half of all adults reported some kind of change – most commonly, a decrease – in their sexual behavior in the past month. Having elementary aged children at home, past month depressive symptoms and loneliness and enacting more COVID-19 protective behaviors were associated with both reduced partnered bonding behaviors, such as hugging, cuddling, holding hands and kissing, as well as reduced partnered sexual behaviors, such as oral sex, partnered genital touching and vaginal sex. Greater COVID-19 risk perception and greater COVID-19 knowledge were associated with mixed effects in behavior outcomes. Conclusions Our data illustrate the very personal ways in which different pandemic-associated factors may create or inhibit opportunities for solo and partnered sex. The centrality of sexuality to health and well-being – even during pandemics – means that a critical piece of public health prevention and management responses should is ensuring that services and resource that support positive sexual decision making remain open and available.Item Depression and loneliness during April 2020 COVID-19 restrictions in the United States, and their associations with frequency of social and sexual connections(Springer, 2021-01) Rosenberg, Molly; Luetke, Maya; Hensel, Devon J.; Kianersi, Sina; Fu, Tsung-chieh; Herbenick, Debby; Pediatrics, School of MedicinePurpose: To estimate the prevalence of depression and loneliness during the US COVID-19 response, and examine their associations with frequency of social and sexual connections. Methods: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of American adults (n = 1010), aged 18–94, running from April 10–20, 2020. We assessed depressive symptoms (CES-D-10 scale), loneliness (UCLA 3-Item Loneliness scale), and frequency of in-person and remote social connections (4 items, e.g., hugging family member, video chats) and sexual connections (4 items, e.g., partnered sexual activity, dating app use). Results: One-third of participants (32%) reported depressive symptoms, and loneliness was high [mean (SD): 4.4 (1.7)]. Those with depressive symptoms were more likely to be women, aged 20–29, unmarried, and low-income. Very frequent in-person connections were generally associated with lower depression and loneliness; frequent remote connections were not. Conclusions: Depression and loneliness were elevated during the early US COVID-19 response. Those who maintained very frequent in-person, but not remote, social and sexual connections had better mental health outcomes. While COVID-19 social restrictions remain necessary, it will be critical to expand mental health services to serve those most at-risk and identify effective ways of maintaining social and sexual connections from a distance.Item The Impact of Household Context on Self-Perceived Changes in Solo and Partnered Sexual Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Probability Survey(Springer, 2023) Hensel, Devon J.; Rosenberg, Molly; Luetke, Maya; Fu, Tsung‑chieh; Herbenick, Debby; Pediatrics, School of MedicineTo understand how household context factors impacted self-reported changes in solo and sexual behaviors in U.S. adults during early stages of the COVID- 19 pandemic, we conducted an online, nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of U.S. adults (N = 1010; aged 18–94 years; 62% response rate) from April 10–20, 2020. We used weighted descriptive statistics with Wilcoxon rank sign tests to understand the population prevalence and significance of self-reported changes (five-point scale: much less to much more) in 10 solo and partnered sexual behaviors. Ordinal regression was used to assess the impact of household predictor variables–including number of children at home, number of adults in home, partnership status (unpartnered, partnered and not living together, partnered and living together) and employment status (not working, employed not as essential worker, employed as essential worker). All models were adjusted for gender, age, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and residence location (urban, suburban, rural). All solo and partnered sexual behaviors showed some amount of significant change–increased activity for some and decreased for others–for U.S. adults during the pandemic. Not living with a partner was broadly associated with decreased affectionate partnered sexual behaviors; unpartnered adults reported increased sexting. Individuals not employed reported increased oral sex and increased consumption of sexually explicit materials as compared to non-essential workers. Number of children at home and household size were not significantly linked to self-reported behavior change. Ongoing sexual health-focused research should continue to focus on understanding how adults manage opportunities and constraints to their sexual lives in the context of a still-going pandemic. While many aspects of social life look more “normal” (e.g., many people have returned to their in-person offices and children are largely back in school), new and more-infectious strains of COVID-19 have proven that the pandemic may still yet impact daily living. Lessons learned from COVID need to include sexual health planning both for any future strains of COVID, as well as for future public health emergencies.