Almost half of the respondents aged between 18 and 29 years, identify themselves as

young men who have sex with men, 10% as young drug users, 10% as young
transgender people, 6% as young sex workers and 5% as young migrants. Just over
half of respondents identify themselves as young people living with HIV. In the
context of COVID-19, 91% of respondents reported practicing social distancing, 60%
in self-quarantine and 36% in complete lockdown.

Although it was not possible for the current survey to cover young people under the
age of eighteen, it’s important to reflect on the fact that the findings of this survey may
also likely apply to younger adolescents who are equally or at a higher risk of
experiencing mental health challenges during this time.

Levels of anxiety about COVID-19 among young key populations

and young people living with HIV
Respondents were asked how anxious they were about COVID-19 on a scale of 1 to
5, with 1 being not anxious and 5 being extremely anxious. The results suggest that
the pandemic is inducive to elevated levels of anxiety among young people with
approximately 70% of respondents reporting feeling anxious or extremely anxious.
When asked about the main concerns (see infographic below), concern for individual
and family members’ health were the most commonly cited. The grave socioeconomic
implications of the pandemic are also evident with 59% of young people reporting
anxiety due to loss of income and 39% not able to work as they usually would. Young
people living with HIV and members of young key populations experience a
heightened risk of mental health challenges in non-pandemic contexts, however, it
seems that national lockdowns and an absence of social engagement with peers may
be further aggravating feelings of isolation among young people with nearly half of
respondents reporting anxiety about isolation.

Approximately 80% of young people say that there is someone in their life who they
can trust and share their fears of concerns with, however, the remaining 20% report
having nobody or being unsure if there is somebody whom they can trust.

Access to essential services for Young people living with HIV during
the pandemic
Young people who identified themselves as living with HIV (51% of respondents)
were asked about the services which are crucial in order to adhere to their HIV
treatment during the crisis. Exactly half of young people living with HIV who
completed the survey, noted that counselling for anxiety, depression, or other
conditions is essential to adhering to their HIV treatment with a further 23% of
respondents highlighting peer support/connection with other people living with HIV as
a vital service.
 Access to HIV services, prevention and other services during the
pandemic
Among young people who reported needing mental health services, 34% have
experienced delays or disruption in access to mental health medications due to
COVID-19 and 47% have experienced delays or disruption in accessing psychosocial
support as a result of the ongoing pandemic. It is also important to highlight that
these survey findings suggest 9% of respondents requiring mental health medications
have never had access to them and similarly, 14% of respondents needing
psychosocial support lack access to this essential service in a non-pandemic context.

Organizations offering peer support

During an unprecedented time such as this, peer support and sources for reliable, up-
to-date information are more important than ever for young people. Many civil society
organizations and peer support groups are working across Asia and the Pacific to
provide support services to young people living with HIV and young key populations,
some of which are turning to online channels to deliver services safely. Respondents
were asked to provide the names of organizations, peer support groups, PLHIV or KP
groups that they felt they could reach out to during this time for information and
support. The results are presented in the word cloud below.

Key Recommendations
Mental health support
 Encourage young people to keep in touch with their peer group and friends through messaging
platforms such as WhatsApp and SMS, as well as staying connected ‘face-to-face’ using
video chat platforms such as Zoom or Facetime.
 Young people should be encouraged to reach out to their local network of young people living
with HIV or young key persons network to see what support they can provide for mental
health. Regularly updated lists of available services will help young people to find relevant
services and facilitate access.
 Building on existing infrastructure and strengthening schemes for young people to support
one another, such as a wellness buddy system.
 Engage and work with local counsellors and social workers to provide mental health services
through online platforms.
 Advocate for inclusive COVID-19 support services and social protection, that are also
accessible to young key population members and young people living with HIV (e.g.
minimize barriers related to requirements around identification).
 Advocate for a human-rights based response to COVID-19 that prioritizes already vulnerable
populations and reduces non-stigmatizing care and non-punitive measures for anyone with
COVID-19, related symptoms, or for other reasons such as stigma related to key population or
HIV status.