Lifestyle and health management changes during COVID-19: A mixed-methods study among multicultural adolescents in Korea

Objectives: This study aims to explore the lifestyle and health management changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on the health of multicultural adolescents in Korea. Methods: Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, secondary data analysis was conducted. Focus Group Interview’s analysis was conducted using a content analysis method and the quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 26.0. Results: The main categories were “distorted health lifestyle patterns, complaining about difficulties caused by daily life changes, and adaptation to social distancing”. The main findings were supported by the results of quantitative research showing that decreased physical activity, increased sedentary lifestyle, and BMI decreased the subjective health status of multicultural adolescents. On the positive side, the rate of practicing hands’ hygiene activities for prevention of infection increased. Conclusion: Through the results, we confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has had negative influences on behaviors associated with obesity, and on adolescents’ sociality because of social distancing. In contrast, some positive changes have been found in adapting to the lockdown, washing hands, and ventilation to prevent infection. In crisis, health-related service support should be sought with more attention to the physical and mental health of multicultural adolescents exposed to a more vulnerable environment.