Duarte Brooke A, Kelly Megan M, Shirk Steven D, Chamberlin Elizabeth S, Reilly Erin D
Department of Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA, United States.
Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.
Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jan 16;13:1083212. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1083212. eCollection 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic generated concerns about rising stress and alcohol use, especially in U.S. veterans who experience high rates of anxiety disorders (ADs), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and dual AD+AUD diagnoses. This study investigated differences among these diagnostic groups in a veteran population related to their concern about COVID-19, impacts of COVID-19 on quality of life, and self-reported changes to urge to drink and drinking frequency.
A nationally administered online survey was given to a sample of U.S. veterans reporting substance use issues during the pandemic. Differences in the level of concern about COVID-19, impacts of COVID-19 on quality of life, and drinking behaviors were examined in those self-reporting AD ( = 98), AUD ( = 46), or AD+AUD ( = 67). Consensual qualitative research was used to analyze an open-ended question about COVID-19's impact on substance use, health, and quality of life.
Veterans with AD+AUD experienced significant increases in urge to drink and alcohol consumption compared to veterans with AD only. Greater urge and frequency of drinking were associated with greater negative impacts of COVID-19 on quality of life. There were no differences among groups in global negative impact on quality of life or level of COVID-19 concern. However, respondents described specific COVID-19 worries, with qualitative findings revealing that those with AD+AUD reported a disproportionate psychosocial burden due to the pandemic.
Special attention in screening and treatment should be given to those with a dual AD+AUD diagnosis who may be experiencing both an increase in alcohol use and psychosocial burden as stress increases due to the pandemic.
新冠疫情引发了人们对压力上升和饮酒行为的担忧，尤其是在美国退伍军人中，他们患焦虑症（AD）、酒精使用障碍（AUD）以及同时患有AD+AUD的比例很高。本研究调查了这些诊断组别的退伍军人在对新冠疫情的担忧、新冠疫情对生活质量的影响以及自我报告的饮酒冲动和饮酒频率变化方面的差异。
对在疫情期间报告有物质使用问题的美国退伍军人样本进行了一项全国性的在线调查。在自我报告患有AD（n = 98）、AUD（n = 46）或AD+AUD（n = 67）的人群中，研究了对新冠疫情的担忧程度、新冠疫情对生活质量的影响以及饮酒行为的差异。采用共识定性研究方法分析了一个关于新冠疫情对物质使用、健康和生活质量影响的开放式问题。
与仅患有AD的退伍军人相比，患有AD+AUD的退伍军人饮酒冲动和饮酒量显著增加。更高的饮酒冲动和频率与新冠疫情对生活质量的更大负面影响相关。在对生活质量的总体负面影响或对新冠疫情的担忧程度方面，各组之间没有差异。然而，受访者描述了对新冠疫情的具体担忧，定性研究结果显示，患有AD+AUD的人报告称由于疫情而承受了不成比例的心理社会负担。
在筛查和治疗中，应特别关注那些同时患有AD+AUD的人，由于疫情导致压力增加，他们可能同时出现饮酒量增加和心理社会负担加重的情况。
