Media service from: 17.03.2023
Several lockdowns, home schooling, mask requirements and distance rules – the past three years of the corona pandemic have been more than demanding for children and young people. The international HBSC study (Health Behavior in School-aged Children Study) initiated by the WHO shows that the mental health of the younger generation has continued to deteriorate. About 44 percent of the girls and 25 percent of the boys stated that they were often irritable or in a bad mood. 30 percent of girls and 12 percent of boys are often depressed. More and more young people are already overweight.
“It is very important to me that young people do not feel left alone with their problems. With the offer of the child and youth health days in the schools in Linz, we offer a helpful tool for mental health care. In the popular workshops “Happiness can be learned”, the Linz institute Kopfgarten teaches the girls and boys in an age-appropriate way how they can cope better with the ups and downs of everyday life and how they can improve their self-esteem. The schools have been extremely encouraging, and they also want more in-depth units in order to be able to do ongoing and sustainable work with the children. I am personally committed to ensuring that we can reach as many children as possible with the supportive offer in these challenging times,” emphasizes the city council’s health officer Dr. Michael Raml.