TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-reported changes in alcohol and tobacco use during COVID-19
T2 - findings from the eastern part of WHO European Region
AU - Kilian, Carolin
AU - Neufeld, Maria
AU - Manthey, Jakob
AU - Alavidze, Sophiko
AU - Bobrova, Anastacia
AU - Baron-Epel, Orna
AU - Berisha, Merita
AU - Bilici, Rabia
AU - Davletov, Kairat
AU - Isajeva, Laura
AU - Kantaş Yılmaz, Fatma
AU - Karatkevich, Tatsiana
AU - Mereke, Alibek
AU - Musić Milanović, Sanja
AU - Galstyan, Kristine
AU - Muslić, Ljiljana
AU - Okoliyski, Michail
AU - Shabani, Zana
AU - Štelemėkas, Mindaugas
AU - Sturua, Lela
AU - Sznitman, Sharon R
AU - Ünübol, Başak
AU - Ferreira-Borges, Carina
AU - Rehm, Jürgen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.
PY - 2022/6/1
Y1 - 2022/6/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Pandemics
KW - Self Report
KW - Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
KW - Tobacco Use/epidemiology
KW - World Health Organization
KW - Young Adult
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131267989&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckac011
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckac011
M3 - Article
C2 - 35137046
SN - 1101-1262
VL - 32
SP - 474
EP - 480
JO - European Journal of Public Health
JF - European Journal of Public Health
IS - 3
ER -
