A cohort-based assessment of drug use trends during the Covid-19 pandemic
Relationship with mood and sociodemographic factors in Brazil
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15529577 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Núbia Heidrich (0000-0002-1050-9164, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, corresponding author), Maurício Schüler Nin (0000-0002-0441-8223, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre), Felipe Borges Almeida (0000-0003-4146-0057, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre), Hilda Maria Rodrigues Moleda Constant (0000-0001-9349-4203, Universitat de València), Luana Freese (0000-0002-0663-6523, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre), Helena M T Barros (Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Pages | 1514365-1514365 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-30 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1514365 |
| PMID | 39980973 |
| OpenAlex | W4407002294 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 51 |
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges, including severe psychological consequences, especially for vulnerable individuals, such as those with substance use disorders. This study investigated the impact of the pandemic on substance use patterns and psychological health in Brazilians, exploring associations with sociodemographic factors to identify groups at higher risk. Data were collected online to assess self-reported substance use through the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), and psychological state, using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and level of social distancing. The research was conducted in three waves: September-October 2020, April-May 2021, and September-November 2022. The ASSIST (alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, and cocaine/crack) and DASS-21 (anxiety, depression, and stress) scores decreased over time. Regarding sociodemographic data, being male, single, with less education, lower income and lower social distancing showed associations with alcohol and cannabis scores. All drug scores showed associations with psychological symptoms and time, suggesting a possible adaptation or resilience of the sample to the challenges of the pandemic. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring patterns of substance use and mental health in times of crisis, especially in vulnerable populations. Such knowledge is essential to inform public health strategies and prepare health systems to face future global crises
Addiction · Anxiety · Cannabis · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · DASS · Depression (economics · Mental health · Mood · Pandemic · Psychiatry · Public health · Social distance · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 · Medicine · Psychology
Covid-19 and addiction
Validation of the alcohol, smoking and substance involvement screening test (Assist)
Collision of the Covid-19 and Addiction Epidemics
Adaptation and validation of the depression, anxiety and stress scale (Dass) to Brazilian Portuguese
The impact of the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic on stress resilience and mental health
Covid-19 risk and outcomes in patients with substance use disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during Covid-19 outbreak in China
To Get High or to Get Out? Examining the Link between Addictive Behaviors and Escapism
Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the Covid-19 pandemic
Covid-19 and Mental Health—What Do We Know So Far
Where Sex Meets Gender
Consequences of Covid-19 Lockdown on the Misuse and Marketing of Addictive Substances and New Psychoactive Substances
A Qualitative Exploration of the Functional, Social, and Emotional Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on People Who Use Drugs
Loneliness, Mental Health, and Substance Use among US Young Adults during Covid-19
A global database of Covid-19 vaccinations
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |