Citation

Salerno JP, Shrader CH, Algarin AB, Lee JY, Fish JN. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021; 221: e108594.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108594

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) young persons are experiencing compounding effects of COVID-19 due to unique social inequalities and existent mental health and substance use challenges. Given that 41% of all young persons are enrolled in universities, and the increased vulnerabilities faced by SGM young persons during the pandemic, it is imperative to understand the effects of alcohol use on mental health among SGM university students amid COVID-19. This study aims to examine the associations between changes in alcohol use since the start of COVID-19 and mental distress among SGM university students in the U.S., and to explore sex-stratified differences.

METHODS: A nonprobability cross-sectional sample of 509 SGM university students (M(age) = 22.04 years, SD = 3.99) were retrospectively surveyed online between May-August 2020 and asked if their alcohol use had changed since the start of COVID-19. Statistical analyses explored the association between changes in alcohol use since the start of COVID-19 and mental distress.

RESULTS: Average psychological distress (M = 27.79, SD = 7.82) was relatively high as per existing research and established clinical cutoff scores. Roughly 32% had increased alcohol use since the start of COVID-19. Subsequently, greater alcohol use (p <.05) since the start of COVID-19 was associated with higher psychological distress among SGM university students, and among females but not males assigned at birth.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher education, medical, and behavioral health professionals should consider how to adapt their practice to address alcohol use and psychological burdens among SGM university students (especially females) who are facing health inequities during and beyond COVID-19, requiring SGM-affirmative care.

Language: en

Keywords

College students; Substance use; Alcohol use; Mental health; COVID-19; LGBTQ