TY - JOUR
PY - 2024//
TI - Young adults with a history of substance use disorder experienced more negative mental health, social and economic outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic period
JO - Addiction
A1 - Halvorson, Max A.
A1 - Kuklinski, Margaret R.
A1 - Bailey, Jennifer A.
A1 - Caouette, Justin D.
A1 - Guttmannova, Katarina
A1 - Rhew, Isaac C.
A1 - Oesterle, Sabrina
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: For young adults, the disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to work, social relationships and health-care probably impacted normative life stage transitions. Disaster research shows that negative effects of these events can persist for years after the acute crisis ends. Pandemic-related disruptions may have been especially consequential for young adults with a history of substance use disorder (SUD). The current work aimed to measure the broad impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young adults with and without a history of SUD. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Data were from a longitudinal panel of n = 4407 young adults across the United States surveyed repeatedly from 2014 to 2019 (aged 19-26 years, pre-pandemic) and again in 2021 (aged 28 years, mid-pandemic). MEASUREMENTS: We fitted multi-level models to understand the association between SUD history and pandemic outcomes, controlling for potential confounders (socio-demographic and health measures). Outcomes included overall life disruption; mental health, social and economic impacts; substance use; and physical health.
FINDINGS: Young adults with a history of SUD reported greater life disruption (standardized β = 0.13-0.15, Ps < 0.015) and negative mental health impacts (standardized β = 0.12-0.14, Ps < 0.012), experienced approximately 20% more work-related stressors (relative risks = 1.18-1.22, Ps < 0.002) and 50% more home-related stressors (relative risks = 1.40-1.51, Ps < 0.001), and had two to three times the odds of increased substance use during the pandemic (odds ratios = 2.07-3.23, Ps < 0.001).
FINDINGS generally did not differ between those with a recent SUD diagnosis and those in recovery from SUD before the pandemic began.
CONCLUSIONS: United States young adults with a history of substance use disorder (SUD) reported more life disruption and greater negative physical and mental health, social and economic impacts during the COVID mid-pandemic period than young adults with no history of SUD.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0965-2140 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/add.16582 ID - ref1 ER -