engleski

Use of psychoactive substances and alcohol during the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic: Croatian experience

Background: Increased prevalence and severity of both substance and behavioral addictions are among the most harmful consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak.Objective: To determine the sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19-related stressors, and stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms that may predict the use and changes in the use of psychoactive substances (PS) during the first three COVID-19 waves in Croatia.Methods: The cross-sectional online survey included 1, 118 adult participants (220 men and 898 women ; mean age: 35.1 [SD = 12.3] years ; age range: 18-78) from general adult population. Sociodemographic data were collected, and ad-hoc developed questionnaires on COVID-19-related stressors, PS use before and during the pandemic, CAGE Alcohol Questionnaire, Impact of Event Scale, and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were applied.Results: The PS use increased in 31% of participants. The use of tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, cannabinoids, and anxiolytics showed the greatest increase in the last year (tobacco 7.1% ; caffeine 5.8% ; alcohol 6.4% ; cannabinoids 2.5% ; and anxiolytics 3.9%). Alcohol consumption during the pandemic increased in 16.8% of participants who consumed alcohol before the pandemic, with 4.5% of them reporting problematic alcohol use (PAU). The tested model demonstrated relatively good model-data fit and significantly predicted 11.8% increase in the use of PS and 9.8% of PAU.Conclusion: Being married or in a relationship and severe anxiety and depression symptoms predicted increased use of PS and PAU, while higher education level and ever being diagnosed with COVID-19 predicted only increased use of PS.

COVID-19 ; PS and alcohol use ; anxiety ; depression ; stress

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