Changes in Use of Tobacco and Alcohol During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction The survey assessed changes in tobacco, alcohol and other substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives The survey was carried out in Moscow and Nizhegorodskaya Oblast in December, 2020 - February, 2021 and included 650 medical organizations’ employees and 344 individuals with harmful alcohol or other substances use. Methods The instrument included ASSIST, Kessler-10 and IES-R tests modified for self-reporting about different pandemic periods. Results Among medical workers 36.8% smoked last 12 months; during the COVID-19 pandemic 13% maintained usual cigarette smoking level, 2.4% increased smoking during incidence rises. 71.2% drank alcohol last 12 months; during incidence rises 20.4% drank as usual, 15.0% drank less frequently; 2.4% increased frequency of drinking, 1.8% volumes on drinking days, 1.3% frequency of heavy episodic drinking. In harmful substance use group 61.9% smoked last 12 months; during COVID-19 incidence rises 40% kept their usual level of smoking; 13.4% increased their smoking during the first and 8.7% during the second ‘wave’ of the pandemic. 90.1% drank alcohol last 12 months; during incidence rises 49% kept drinking as usual, 20% reduced drinking and 17.3% increased drinking frequency, 21.0% volumes on drinking days, 16.4% heavy episodic drinking frequency. Wastewater-based epidemiology analysis performed in Moscow Oblast location demonstrated significant increase during COVID-19 pandemic, compared to same period 2 years earlier: inhaled nicotine use by average of 40%, ethanol consumption by average of 49%. Conclusions Changes in cigarette smoking and alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic had significant variation. Increases were more likely to occur during the pandemic ‘waves’ among individual from harmful users’ group. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Keywords

• COVID-19 and substance use
• cigarette smoking
• alcohol use
• wastewater-based methods