Self-reported changes in alcohol and tobacco use during COVID-19: findings from the eastern part of WHO European Region

Carolin Kilian (Corresponding Author), Maria Neufeld, Jakob Manthey, Sophiko Alavidze, Anastacia Bobrova, Orna Baron-Epel, Merita Berisha, Rabia Bilici, Kairat Davletov, Laura Isajeva, Fatma Kantaş Yılmaz, Tatsiana Karatkevich, Alibek Mereke, Sanja Musić Milanović, Kristine Galstyan, Ljiljana Muslić, Michail Okoliyski, Zana Shabani, Mindaugas Štelemėkas, Lela SturuaSharon R Sznitman, Başak Ünübol, Carina Ferreira-Borges, Jürgen Rehm

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)
15 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic might impact substance use behaviours around the globe. In this study, we investigate changes in alcohol and tobacco use in the second half of 2020 in countries of the eastern part of the WHO European Region. METHODS: Self-reported changes in alcohol and tobacco use among 11 295 adults from 18 countries in the eastern part of the WHO European Region were collected between August 2020 and January 2021. The non-probabilistic sample was weighted for age, gender and education. For each country, proportions of respondents reporting a decrease, no change or increase in substance use over the past 3 months were examined, and multinomial regression models were used to test associations with age, gender and past-year alcohol use. RESULTS: In most countries, about half of the respondents indicating past-year alcohol or tobacco use reported no change in their substance use. Of those alcohol users who reported changes in their alcohol use, a larger proportion reported a decrease than an increase in most countries. The opposite was true for tobacco use. Women, young adults and past-year harmful alcohol users were identified as being more likely to change their substance use behaviour. CONCLUSION: We found diverging overall trends for alcohol and tobacco use in the second half of 2020. The patterns of change vary according to age, gender and past-year substance use. Individuals at risk to increase their substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic require most policy considerations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)474-480
Number of pages7
JournalEuropean Journal of Public Health
Volume32
Issue number3
Early online date7 Feb 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords*

  • Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
  • COVID-19/epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Self Report
  • Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  • Tobacco Use/epidemiology
  • World Health Organization
  • Young Adult

Field of Science*

  • 3.3 Health sciences

Publication Type*

  • 1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

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