COVID‐19 impacts on drinking and mental health in emerging adults: Longitudinal changes and moderation by economic disruption and sex. (3rd June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Minhas, Meenu; Belisario, Kyla; González‐Roz, Alba; Halladay, Jillian; Murphy, James G.; MacKillop, James
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 45:Number 7(2021)
• Page Start: 1448
• Page End: 1457
• Publication Date: 2021-06-03
• Subjects: alcohol -- anxiety -- COVID‐19 -- depression -- emerging adults -- sex differences; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.14624
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

Abstract: Background: There are significant concerns that the COVID‐19 pandemic may have negative effects on substance use and mental health, but most studies to date are cross‐sectional. In a sample of emerging adults, over a two‐week period during the pandemic, the current study examined: (1) changes in drinking‐related outcomes, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder and (2) differences in changes by sex and income loss. The intra‐pandemic measures were compared to pre‐pandemic measures. Methods: Participants were 473 emerging adults ( M age = 23.84; 41.7% male) in an existing longitudinal study on alcohol misuse who were assessed from June 17 to July 1, 2020, during acute public health restrictions in Ontario, Canada. These intra‐pandemic data were matched to participant pre‐pandemic reports, collected an average of 5 months earlier. Assessments included validated measures of drinking, alcohol‐related consequences, and mental health indicators. Results: Longitudinal analyses revealed significant decreases in heavy drinking and adverse alcohol consequences, with no moderation by sex or income loss, but with substantial heterogeneity in changes. Significant increases in continuous measures of depression and anxiety were present, both of which were moderated by sex. Females reported significantly larger increases in depression and anxiety. Income loss >50% was significantly associated with increases in depression. Conclusions: During the initial phase of the pandemic, reductions in heavy drinking and alcohol consequences were present in this sample of emerging adults, perhaps due to restrictions on socializing. In contrast, there was an increase in internalizing symptoms, especially in females, highlighting disparities in the mental health impacts of the pandemic. Abstract : A longitudinal analysis on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic revealed decreases in heavy drinking and adverse alcohol consequences, however there was substantial heterogeneity in changes. Furthermore, the COVID‐19 pandemic had a selective negative effect on depression and anxiety in females and those with major income loss (>50%).