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Citation
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Satre DD, Palzes VA, Chi FW, Kline-Simon AH, Campbell CI, Doren NV, Weisner C, Sterling S. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Copyright
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(Copyright © 2024, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: Individuals with unhealthy alcohol use and comorbid depression or anxiety may be vulnerable to alcohol use escalation in times of stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Among a cohort of individuals with pre-pandemic unhealthy drinking, we compared changes in alcohol use by whether people had a depression or anxiety diagnosis, and examined whether mental health treatment was related to these changes.
METHODS: Using electronic health record data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, we analyzed drinking changes during the pandemic (3/1/2020-6/30/2022) among adults identified in primary care with unhealthy alcohol use (exceeding daily/weekly recommended limits) pre-pandemic (1/1/2019-2/29/2020). Outcomes were mean changes in number of heavy drinking days (prior three months), drinks/week, drinks/day, and drinking days/week. Multivariable linear regression models were fit to: 1) compare outcomes of patients with depression or anxiety diagnoses to those without, and 2) among patients with depression or anxiety, estimate associations between mental health treatment and outcomes.
RESULTS: The sample included 62,924 adults with unhealthy alcohol use, of whom 12,281 (19.5%) had depression or anxiety. On average, alcohol use significantly decreased across all measures during the pandemic, but patients with depression or anxiety had greater decreases in drinks/week (adjusted mean difference [aMD] [CI]=-0.34 [-0.55, -0.12]) and drinking days/week (-0.15 [-0.20, -0.10]). No associations were found between mental health treatment and changes in drinking.
CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to expectations, patients with unhealthy alcohol use and depression or anxiety decreased alcohol use more than those without depression or anxiety during COVID-19, whether or not they accessed mental health services.
Language: en |