Journal of Regional Medical Campuses

The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Youth Violence: Insights from Professional Key Informants

Mohamed Aldallal

Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0476-0675

Deeb Omari

Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4449-3551

Baraka Muvuka

Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0761-0365

Elizabeth Ryan

Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8680-3741

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jrmc.v6i3.5070

Keywords: COVID-19, Youth, Youth Violence, Pandemic, Education, Mental Health, Social Isolation

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Abstract

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic effects on youth violence protective and risk factors by isolating many at risk youth. While youth violence is a growing global health problem, there are limited studies exploring youth violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lake County in Northwest Indiana presents an opportunity for youth violence research and prevention given its socio-demographic context and its limited youth violence data. This study explored the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on youth violence and its risk and protective factors from the perspectives of professional key informants in Lake County, Indiana.

 Methods

This study utilized a descriptive qualitative design inspired by the constructivist grounded theory. We recruited professional key informants through purposive and snowball sampling. Data collection consisted of virtual semi-structured key informant interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis consisted of inductive thematic analysis with open line-by-line coding, focused coding in Dedoose, and theme identification.

 Results

A total of six key informants were interviewed, representing diverse youth-serving occupations. These interviews revealed five general themes portraying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth violence: mental health impacts on youth; socialization of youth; youth as victims, perpetrators, or witnesses; shifting of learning environments; and parent-child relationships. Key informants observed an increase in less visible types of youth violence, underlying pandemic-induced or-exacerbated youth mental and behavioral health issues, strained parent-child relationships, and the educational marginalization of youth in underserved communities during online learning transitions.

Conclusions

This study highlighted underserved youth’s vulnerability to the COVID-19 pandemic’s adverse impacts on youth violence experiences, risk, and protective factors. Our findings support the need to prioritize youth during and after crises, to utilize innovative strategies to better reach underserved youth, and to develop ethical and integrated youth violence data systems. Future research should explore youth’s lived experiences with violence throughout the pandemic.  

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Author Biographies

Mohamed Aldallal, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus

3rd Year Medical Student, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

Deeb Omari, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

4th Year Medical Student, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

Baraka Muvuka, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

Director of Research, Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest, Gary, Indiana

Elizabeth Ryan, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana

Associate Dean and Center Director, Northwest Campus and Professor of Clinical Family Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest Campus, Gary, Indiana