Substance Use Among Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Systematic Review.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Purpose of review
To review the literature on the trends in substance use among youth during the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic.Recent findings
The pandemic has given rise to concerns about the mental health and social well-being of youth, including its potential to increase or exacerbate substance use behaviors. This systematic review identified and included 49 studies of use across alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, e-cigarettes/vaping, and other drugs, and unspecified substances. The majority of studies across all categories of youth substance use reported reductions in prevalence, except in the case of other drugs and unspecified drug and substance use, which included three studies that reported an increase in use and three studies that reported decrease in use. Overall, the results of this review suggest that the prevalence of youth substance use has largely declined during the pandemic. Youth substance use in the post-pandemic years will require monitoring and continued surveillance.
SUBMITTER: Layman HM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9043089 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers around the world have made efforts to assess its impact on youth mental health; however, the breadth of this topic has impeded a clear assessment of pandemic outcomes. This study aimed to address this gap by reviewing changes in youth (age ≤ 25) mental health, psychological wellbeing, substance use, and the use or delivery of relevant services during the pandemic. PubMed and Embase were searched in May 2021 to conduct a rapid review of the literature. The results encompass 156 primary publications and are reported using a narrative synthesis. Studies of mental health (n = 122) and psychological wellbeing (n = 28) generally indicated poor outcomes in many settings. Publications regarding substance use (n = 41) noted overall declines or unchanged patterns. Studies of service delivery (n = 12) indicated a generally positive reception for helplines and telehealth, although some youth experienced difficulties accessing services. The findings indicate negative impacts of the pandemic on youth mental health, with mixed results for substance use. Services must support marginalized youth who lack access to telehealth.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40894-022-00185-6.
| S-EPMC8881192 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThis study analyses longitudinal data to understand how youth mental health and substance use are evolving over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is critical to adjusting mental health response strategies.SettingParticipants were recruited from among existing participants in studies conducted in an urban academic hospital in Ontario, Canada.ParticipantsA total of 619 youth aged 14-28 years participated in the study (62.7% girls/young women; 61.4% Caucasian).MeasuresData on mood, substance use and COVID-19-related worries were collected over four time points, that is, every 2 months beginning in the early stages of the pandemic in April 2020. Latent class analyses were conducted on the longitudinal data to identify distinct groups of youth who have different trajectory profiles of pandemic impact on their mood, substance use and COVID-19-related worries.ResultsFor the majority of participants, mood concerns increased early in the pandemic, declined over Canada's summer months and subsequently increased in autumn. Among the youth with the highest level of mood symptoms at the beginning of the pandemic, increases in mental health concerns were sustained. Substance use remained relatively stable over the course of the pandemic. COVID-19-related worries, however, followed a trajectory similar to that of mood symptoms. Girls/young women, youth living in urban or suburban areas, in larger households, and with poorer baseline mental and physical health are the most vulnerable to mental health concerns and worries during the pandemic.ConclusionsYouth mental health symptom levels and concerns are evolving over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with the evolution of the pandemic itself, and longitudinal monitoring is therefore required. It is also essential that we engage directly with youth to cocreate pandemic response strategies and mental health service adaptations to best meet the needs of young people.
| S-EPMC8561825 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has taken the lives of millions and disrupted countless more worldwide. Simply living through the pandemic has had drastic effects on the health of citizens. Diet, an important aspect of health, has been uniquely affected by the pandemic, although these changes have not been sufficiently studied among youth.ObjectivesThe objective of this systematic review was to investigate dietary changes of youth during COVID-19.MethodsA prespecified literature review was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and CINAHL to identify studies from January 2020 to May 2023 that assessed dietary changes among youth aged ≤20 y compared with before the pandemic. Only quantitative observational studies that were published in English were included. Two authors completed all screening/study selection independently, with disagreements being resolved via discussion. Data extraction was completed by 1 author. Dietary changes were categorized into food groups and habits for analysis purposes.ResultsIn total, 67 studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies used recall to assess changes (48/67; 71.6%). Most studies found an increase in fruits and vegetables (24/46; 52.2%), grain products (6/11; 54.5%), meat, poultry, and eggs (4/8, 50.0%), diet quality indices and/or overall dietary assessments (7/13, 53.8%), and the frequency of snacking (9/12; 75.0%), whereas generally finding a decrease in ultraprocessed foods (32/53; 60.4%), compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic. Mixed findings or primarily no changes were found for fish and aquatic products, legumes, beans, seeds and nuts, milk and milk products, breakfast consumption, and nutrient intake.ConclusionsMostly favorable dietary changes appear to have occurred among youth during COVID-19, although there were several mixed findings and unclear takeaways among the foods and habits under study. The heterogeneity of defining food groups was a noted limitation in the current review.
| S-EPMC11007747 | biostudies-literature
Project description:As the world endures the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the conditions of 35 million vulnerable individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs) worldwide have not received sufficient attention for their special health and medical needs. Many of these individuals are complicated by underlying health conditions, such as cardiovascular and lung diseases and undermined immune systems. During the pandemic, access to the healthcare systems and support groups is greatly diminished. Current research on COVID-19 has not addressed the unique challenges facing individuals with SUDs, including the heightened vulnerability and susceptibility to the disease. In this systematic review, we will discuss the pathogenesis and pathology of COVID-19, and highlight potential risk factors and complications to these individuals. We will also provide insights and considerations for COVID-19 treatment and prevention in patients with SUDs.
| S-EPMC7407364 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveAs impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to unfold, research is needed to understand how school-aged youth are coping with COVID-19-related changes and disruptions to daily life. Among a sample of Canadian youth, our objective was to examine the mental health factors associated with using substances to cope with COVID-19-related changes, taking account of expected sex differences.MethodsWe used online data collected from 7150 students in the COMPASS study, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-July 2020) in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, Canada. We specified a sex-stratified, generalized linear mixed model to estimate the likelihood of engagement in substance-related coping behaviours, while testing for the effects of students' mental health, individual characteristics, and school neighborhood characteristics.ResultsTwelve percent of students (13.4% of females, 9.9% of males) in our sample reported using cannabis, alcohol, cigarettes, and/or vaping to help cope with COVID-19-related changes. Regardless of sex, students with greater depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in substance-related coping (aORFemale = 1.04, 95 %CI[1.01-1.07]; aORMale = 1.06, 95 %CI[1.013-1.11]). Among females, better psychosocial wellbeing was protective against engagement in substance related-coping (aOR = 0.96, 95 %CI[0.94-0.98]), controlling for current substance use.ConclusionsCanadian school-aged youth with generally poor mental health may be more likely to have engaged in substance use to help cope with COVID-19-related changes during the first wave of the pandemic, and female youth may be at disproportionate risk of engaging in the behaviour. Ongoing evaluation of the impacts of COVID-19 on youth health is required.
| S-EPMC8565916 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveAs impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to unfold, research is needed to understand how school-aged youth are coping with COVID-19-related changes and disruptions to daily life. Among a sample of Canadian youth, our objective was to examine the mental health factors associated with using substances to cope with COVID-19-related changes, taking account of expected sex differences.MethodsWe used online data collected from 7150 students in the COMPASS study, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-July 2020) in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, Canada. We specified a sex-stratified, generalized linear mixed model to estimate the likelihood of engagement in substance-related coping behaviours, while testing for the effects of students' mental health, individual characteristics, and school neighborhood characteristics.ResultsTwelve percent of students (13.4% of females, 9.9% of males) in our sample reported using cannabis, alcohol, cigarettes, and/or vaping to help cope with COVID-19-related changes. Regardless of sex, students with greater depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in substance-related coping (aORFemale = 1.04, 95 %CI[1.01-1.07]; aORMale = 1.06, 95 %CI[1.013-1.11]). Among females, better psychosocial wellbeing was protective against engagement in substance related-coping (aOR = 0.96, 95 %CI[0.94-0.98]), controlling for current substance use.ConclusionsCanadian school-aged youth with generally poor mental health may be more likely to have engaged in substance use to help cope with COVID-19-related changes during the first wave of the pandemic, and female youth may be at disproportionate risk of engaging in the behaviour. Ongoing evaluation of the impacts of COVID-19 on youth health is required.
| S-EPMC8565916 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveAs impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to unfold, research is needed to understand how school-aged youth are coping with COVID-19-related changes and disruptions to daily life. Among a sample of Canadian youth, our objective was to examine the mental health factors associated with using substances to cope with COVID-19-related changes, taking account of expected sex differences.MethodsWe used online data collected from 7150 students in the COMPASS study, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-July 2020) in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, Canada. We specified a sex-stratified, generalized linear mixed model to estimate the likelihood of engagement in substance-related coping behaviours, while testing for the effects of students' mental health, individual characteristics, and school neighborhood characteristics.ResultsTwelve percent of students (13.4% of females, 9.9% of males) in our sample reported using cannabis, alcohol, cigarettes, and/or vaping to help cope with COVID-19-related changes. Regardless of sex, students with greater depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in substance-related coping (aORFemale = 1.04, 95 %CI[1.01-1.07]; aORMale = 1.06, 95 %CI[1.013-1.11]). Among females, better psychosocial wellbeing was protective against engagement in substance related-coping (aOR = 0.96, 95 %CI[0.94-0.98]), controlling for current substance use.ConclusionsCanadian school-aged youth with generally poor mental health may be more likely to have engaged in substance use to help cope with COVID-19-related changes during the first wave of the pandemic, and female youth may be at disproportionate risk of engaging in the behaviour. Ongoing evaluation of the impacts of COVID-19 on youth health is required.
| S-EPMC8565916 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We estimate a model of labor market transitions to understand the surge in youth disconnection and subsequent decline in school enrollment that occurred over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. We highlight three observations. First, the collapse in full-time work during the spring of 2020 drove the rise in disconnection; however, in addition to the large number of young people becoming disconnected from full-time employment, the transition into full-time work also became more challenging. While transitions to full-time work from full-time work fell by 14 percent, transitions from part-time work and school fell by 43 percent and 28 percent, respectively. Second, transitions from full-time work and school into disconnection remain elevated through 2021 even as the unemployment rate reached historic lows. Finally, comparing the pandemic labor market transitions to the Great Recession, school no longer works as a safe harbor for those who are already enrolled: the surge in persistence in schooling that occurred during the Great Recession is not observed during the pandemic. These compositional changes illustrate the value of measurement of the youth labor market that goes beyond the unemployment rate.
| S-EPMC9359549 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected orthopedic practices worldwide. Few studies focusing on epidemiology and management of fractures in COVID-19 patients have been published. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the fracture types, presentation, treatment, complications, and early outcomes of fractures occurring amidst COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA systematic review of the all published papers was conducted with a comprehensive search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Cochrane Library database using keywords 'COVID-19', 'Coronavirus', 'trauma∗'and 'fracture' from January-April 2020.ResultsThe searches yielded a total of ten studies with 112 Patients who were positive for COVID-19 associated with fractures was performed for six studies, reporting data separately for 44 patients with COVID 19 and an associated fracture. A diagnosis of COVID 19 was made on the basis of positive Computed Tomography scan in 39 patients and 30 patients had a positive Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction test. Overall, there were 29 proximal femoral fractures, 8 spine fractures, 7 fractures of the other bones. The fractures were treated surgically in 30 cases (68.18%) and the remaining 14 cases (31.82%) were managed conservatively. There were 16 patients (36.36%) who died, mostly due to respiratory failure with a median age of 82 years.ConclusionCOVID-19 has led to a significant reduction in a load of fracture patients globally, though the incidence of fragility fractures continues to be unaffected. There is a significantly higher risk of mortality in elderly patients with fractures and hence they should only be operated in a facility with a robust intensive care. Conservative treatment should be adopted as far as possible in non-obligatory fractures and in lesser equipped centers. Surgery in patients with proximal femur fragility fractures when judiciously selected did result in improvement in respiratory status. Reorganizing medical services is vital to deliver effective fracture care and also mitigate disease transmission.
| S-EPMC7324923 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal substance abuse and neonatal outcomes.Study designCross-sectional observational study of neonates admitted to the NICU and born to mothers with evidence of substance abuse pre-pandemic compared to during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultWe noted a significant increase in fentanyl (12% vs. 0.6%, p < 0.001) and tobacco use (64% vs. 33%, p < 0.001) during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic, including an increase in fentanyl use among mothers enrolled in opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) during the pandemic (32.3% vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in preterm births (58% vs. 48%, p = 0.022) and lower birth weight (2315 ± 815 vs. 2455 ± 861 g, p = 0.049) during pandemic.ConclusionThere was a significant increase in maternal fentanyl use during the pandemic, even with OMT enrollment, with an increase in preterm births and lower birth weights among infants born to mothers with substance use.
| S-EPMC9901406 | biostudies-literature