Gender differences in anxiety and perceived stress during the Covid-19 pandemic among Brazilian adolescents from impoverished communities

This study examines factors associated with anxiety and perceived stress among adolescents living in socioeconomically vulnerable urban areas of São Paulo, Brazil, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing from a cross-sectional analysis of 396 cisgender adolescents aged 13–17, recruited through Family Health Strategy units, data were collected via structured home-based interviews and analyzed using validated psychometric tools (GAD-7 and PSS-10). Findings indicate that 28.5% of participants exhibited moderate to severe anxiety, and 72.5% reported moderate to high levels of perceived stress, especially among girls. Multivariate models identified age, gender, perceived emotional neglect, experiences of verbal hostility within the household, digital sociability, and pandemic-induced academic difficulties as key predictors of adverse outcomes. Conversely, protective associations were observed for adolescents whose parents were in a relationship, who reported affective support at school, or who lived in owned housing. The intersection between gender norms, emotional vulnerability, and structural deprivation emerged as a critical lens for interpreting the psychosocial consequences of the pandemic. These results underscore the need for context-sensitive public health strategies that transcend individualizing frameworks and address the material, relational, and symbolic dimensions of adolescent mental health in unequal urban settings.