Influence of Covid-19 Social Distancing Measures on Anxiety Levels of Youth in Eastleigh, Kenya

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, movement restrictions were imposed worldwide to limit its spread. In Kenya, Eastleigh was one of the hard-hit areas and this resulted in a curfew from May 7th to June 6th, 2020. This limited movement and interaction has been studied globally and evidence shows that anxiety levels among youth were heightened during this period. However, there is paucity of this evidence in the Kenyan context; therefore, this investigation looks into the influence of COVID-19 social distancing measures on anxiety levels of youth in Eastleigh, Kenya. This was achieved by seeking to establish prevalence of anxiety among youth in Eastleigh, to determine perceptions of limited social participation on anxiety of youth in Eastleigh, to examine perceptions of home confinement on anxiety of youth in Eastleigh, and to assess perceptions of limited physical activities on anxiety levels of youth in Eastleigh. The sample size was 188 youth respondents derived from a population of 29,022 households in Eastleigh North ward. The 103 respondents were selected using systematic sampling methods and a structured questionnaire administered to collect information. Four instruments were administered: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Short Social Participation Questionnaire for Lockdowns (SSPQ-L), Short Life Satisfaction Questionnaire-Lockdowns (SLSQ-L), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). The findings revealed that youth rarely participated in different social activities during the lockdown period. In terms of objective two, results indicated t an increase in life dissatisfaction levels of youth during the lockdown. For objective three, findings showed that youth participated in moderate physical activity during the lockdown period in Eastleigh. Lastly, on objective four, it was revealed that mild to severe anxiety was prevalent among the youth; however, moderate anxiety was more prevalent among sampled youth. The study recommends that there is need for efforts to provide mental health services for youth to assist in their coping and recovery from any anxiety that they experienced during the lockdown. Additionally, there is need for central and county governments to provide spaces for youth to engage in physical activities as well as social activities.