The research also shows that some groups are much more resilient than others. In these cases, unequal treatment is necessary to ensure equal opportunities.

Mental health of young people recovering slowly

The mental health of young people has suffered greatly during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, three and a half years after the last coronavirus measures were lifted, young people’s mental health is slowly recovering. This becomes apparent in the four-year trend of quarterly measurements in the research programme. Although mental well-being has slightly improved in recent years, it has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Improvements have been observed in areas such as loneliness, stress, and physical complaints. In contrast, the percentage of young people who indicate that they occasionally or often seriously think about suicide remains stable. Well-being and confidence in the future are strongly linked to mental health and resilience.

Recovery does not apply to everyone

Data from general practitioners confirm that there is a (small) group of young people who are not recovering. The latest figures (from July–September 2025) also show that young people had more contact with their GP about suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts than before the pandemic, and that this has not decreased. There is also an increase in the number of young people visiting their GP for feelings of anxiety and severe stress reactions.

Confidence in the future

In the latest survey in September, 47 percent of young people indicated that they have (a lot of) confidence in their future. Additionally, 40 percent have moderate to reasonable confidence, and 12 percent have little to no confidence. Young people often base this confidence on their feelings and how things are going at school, in their studies, or at work. Relationships, health, and housing also play a role. Financial hardship, long-term health problems, and doubt about important life choices contributed to uncertainty about the future. Some young people remain cautious about their future because of this, while others trust that things will ultimately turn out well and that, despite possible setbacks, they will be able to turn their own future into something beautiful. Depending on the concerns young people have, confidence in the future seems to be largely determined by factors close to the individual. Little to no connection was found with factors such as social unrest, climate, or war. Some young people do report that, despite stability in their own lives, they have slightly less confidence because unrest in the world may endanger their own future.

Research programme on the health impacts of the COVID-19 crisis

Over the course of five years, the Network for Health Research in Disasters (GOR Network) compiled information on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the health and experienced well-being of people in the Netherlands. Policymakers can use this up-to-date knowledge to develop better policies. 
The GOR Network consists of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), local offices of the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs), GGD GHOR (the national umbrella organisation of the GGDs and the Regional Medical Assistance Organisations), the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (Nivel), and ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre. The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) is the commissioning client for this research, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS).