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

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts on global health, affecting not only physical well-being but also exacerbating mental health issues. The present study investigated the associations between COVID-19-related variables and health outcomes across different sex, age, and education levels. The cross-sectional survey study was conducted from June to August 2022, comprising 1,326 participants aged 12 to 28 years in Ghana. 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. Network analysis indicated that COVID-19-related stress was positively associated with fear of COVID-19, psychological distress, and COVID-19-related self-stigma. The fear of COVID-19 was positively associated with preventive COVID-19 behaviors, COVID-19-related self-stigma, and believing COVID-19 information, while psychological distress was positively associated with COVID-19-related self-stigma but negatively associated with both physical and mental quality of life. Physical quality of life was negatively associated with COVID-19-related perceived stigma and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. These network structures varied across sex, age, and educational levels. COVID-19-related stress had the highest centrality across four indices. In sum, the present study highlighted the interconnectedness of COVID-19-related variables and health factors among young people in Ghana. COVID-19-related stress appeared to be a pivotal determinant of psychological well-being. Stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic served as a key determinant of psychological well-being. The differences in network structures across sex, age, and education levels highlighted the importance of tailored health interventions. Further research employing longitudinal study designs and targeting diverse populations are needed to observe the dynamic associations between health-related variables over time.