Dataset Information

Stressors experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and substance use among US college students.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous stressors that may have been linked to substance use among college students.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Fall 2020 Healthy Minds Study (N = 15,995), a non-probability sample of students attending one of 28 universities, who completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic (September - December 2020). Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the associations between COVID-19 stressors (concern, racial/ethnic discrimination, financial distress, infection, illness of loved one, death of loved one, caregiving) and substance use (alcohol, cigarette, marijuana), adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and international student status. All COVID-19 stressors were included in the same weighted logistic regression models.

Results

About 46.89% of the sample reported drinking any alcohol (in the past 2 weeks), 7.38% used any cigarettes, and 16.87% used any marijuana over the past month. Multivariable logistic regression models showed that infection and caregiving were significantly associated with alcohol use; racial/ethnic discrimination and financial distress were associated with smoking cigarettes; and concern and infection were associated with marijuana use.

Conclusions

COVID-19 stressors were related to substance use, though the strength and significance of the associations varied depending on the stressors and the type of substance.

SUBMITTER: Oh H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8606256 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Stressors experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and substance use among US college students.

Oh Hans H Leventhal Adam M AM Tam Christina C CC Rajkumar Ravi R Zhou Sasha S Clapp John D JD

Drug and alcohol dependence reports 20211122

<h4>Background</h4>The COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous stressors that may have been linked to substance use among college students.<h4>Methods</h4>We analyzed data from the Fall 2020 Healthy Minds Study (<i>N</i> = 15,995), a non-probability sample of students attending one of 28 universities, who completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic (September - December 2020). Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the associations between COVID-19 stressors (concern, racial/ ...[more]

PMID: 35156105

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Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in pronounced changes for college students, including shifts in living situations and engagement in virtual environments. Although college drinking decreased at the onset of the pandemic, a nuanced understanding of pandemic-related changes in drinking contexts and the risks conferred by each context on alcohol use and related consequences have yet to be assessed.MethodsSecondary data analyses were conducted on screening data from a large parent clinical trial assessing a college student drinking intervention (N = 1669). Participants across six cohorts (from Spring 2020 to Summer 2021) reported on the frequency of drinking in each context (i.e., outside the home, home alone, home with others in-person, and home with others virtually), typical amount of drinking, and seven alcohol-related consequence subscales.ResultsDescriptive statistics and negative binomial regressions indicated that the proportion and frequency of drinking at home virtually with others decreased, while drinking outside the home increased from Spring 2020 to Summer 2021. Limited differences were observed in the proportion or frequency of individuals drinking at home alone or at home with others in-person. Negative binomial and logistic regressions indicated that the frequency of drinking outside the home was most consistently associated with more alcohol-related consequences (i.e., six of the seven subscales). However, drinking at home was not without risks; drinking home alone was associated with abuse/dependence, personal, social, hangover, and social media consequences; drinking home with others virtually was associated with abuse/dependence and social consequences; drinking home with others in-person was associated with drunk texting/dialing.ConclusionThe proportion and frequency of drinking in certain contexts changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, although drinking outside the home represented the highest risk drinking context across the pandemic. Future prevention and intervention efforts may benefit from considering approaches specific to different drinking contexts.

Dataset Information

Stressors experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and substance use among US college students.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Stressors experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and substance use among US college students.

Similar Datasets

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