From September 2021 until this research round in September 2025, the Network for Health Research in Disasters (GOR Network) published a quarterly update on this page, summarising key results about the health and well-being of young people, based on survey research and data from primary care providers. A research update on adults was published every six months until June 2025. The aim of this study was to provide information to municipalities, provinces and the national government of the Netherlands to assist them in formulating health policy, to facilitate better pandemic preparedness and equip them to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Improvement in mental well-being 

Overall, the research rounds from the past 3.5 years show that young people’s mental health is slowly recovering from the impact of the last lockdown. That impact was evident from the significant drop in their physical and mental well-being between December 2021 and March 2022.  

The average score for young people’s mental well-being in September 2025 was 70 on a scale of 0 to 100. This placed their mental well-being at a level comparable to December 2021, although still lower than the score of 71 in September 2021. Loneliness, stress and physical symptoms also showed a trend of slow recovery after the peak in March 2021. Over the past two years, the percentage of young people who usually felt happy also increased after that, rising from 79% in September 2023 to 83% in September 2025. Although things slowly seem to be improving somewhat in many areas, the percentage of young people who indicated that they occasionally or often have serious thoughts about suicide instead seems to be stabilising (around 14%) rather than recovering after the peak in March 2021 (17%).  

In this survey round, fewer young people reported feeling concerned about various topics, such as the availability of affordable housing for themselves and their loved ones and the higher costs of day-to-day expenses (both -5%). 47% of young people indicated that they are confident or very confident about their future. 

Reasoning behind (lack of) confidence in the future

Young people were asked what their score for confidence in their future was based on. Answers showed that they mainly based their sense of confidence on their emotions, how they are doing in life, and how they perceive their current situation. Topics frequently mentioned included how things are going right now at school or in their studies, and whether they have work and income or think that they can get them. Relationships, health and living accommodations also play a role. When things are going well in these areas, they expect the future will be bright. Conversely, young people were more likely to feel uncertain about their future if they had financial difficulties or experienced chronic physical or mental complaints. Young people who mentioned these reasons often did in fact express less confidence in the future. For other factors driving uncertainty, the associated confidence varied more widely. For example, young people mentioned their own limitations or temporary shortcomings (such as having difficulty studying or finding a job), difficulty with relationships, poor health or inability to find housing. Some respondents also mentioned that the broader context caused uncertainty for their own future, mainly because of wars, rising cost of living, climate and political instability. As a result, some young people are cautious in contemplating their futures, while others reported that they trust that it will all work out eventually. 

GP visits related to suicide and anxiety remain high 

Although self-reported answers from young people on the representative panel show that their health is recovering after the lowest point in March 2022, primary care data shows stabilisation rather than recovery compared to 2022. In the third quarter of 2025, as in 2024, young people contacted the GP more frequently because of suicide-related thoughts and attempts than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the third quarter of 2019, young people contacted the GP 75% more often for these reasons. However, these did involve relatively small numbers. 

Young people also contacted the GP for feelings of anxiety more often than before the pandemic. There was also a minor increase compared to the past two years (+28 in relation to 2019, compared to +21% in 2024 and +22% in 2023). Other complaints for which young people contacted the GP more often included crises or transient intense stress reactions (for example due to PTSD), fatigue and dizziness. 

Approach used in the quarterly youth study 

The quarterly study consists of data from two sources: the survey-based study on mental and physical health and the primary care data provided by GPs. Between 11 and 25 September 2025, a total of 5,399 young people aged 12–25 years took a survey. The primary care data (from the Nivel Primary Care Database) is for the period from July to September 2025. GPs keep track of the health problems and conditions for which children, adolescents and young adults aged 0–24 years visit their practice. 

Probability of different health outcomes 

The approach also included a table on outcomes of regression analyses (only available in Dutch). It shows which groups of young people are more likely to have specific health outcomes compared to others. 

Previous research rounds 

The quarterly study was conducted every three months since September 2021. This seventeenth quarterly research update is from the last research round in the Health Research for COVID-19 programme. Results of previous research rounds are also available.