IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i13p6261-d1183618.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Long-Term Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug/Alcohol Use Prevalence in a Population with Substance Use Disorders

Author

Listed:
  • Alessio Gili

    (Hygiene and Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

  • Massimo Lancia

    (Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

  • Angela Gambelunghe

    (Occupational Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Toxicology Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

  • Luca Tomassini

    (Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

  • Alessia Nicoletti

    (Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

  • Kyriaki Aroni

    (Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

  • Cristiana Gambelunghe

    (Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy)

Abstract

As time passes, the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are becoming increasingly apparent. The extreme restrictions imposed during the pandemic have had detrimental impacts on the most vulnerable groups, such as individuals suffering from substance and/or alcohol disorders (SUDs). This study reports quarterly laboratory data on alcohol and drug use in 150 subjects with SUDs that were examined using hair analysis for 2 years before the start of pandemic until after the end of the Italian health emergency. Overall, it was found that the number of subjects who used heroin, cocaine, and MDMA all decreased during the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns, increasing during reopening and subsequently stabilizing close to pre-COVID levels. Cannabis use was less impacted, remaining stable throughout the pandemic. Alcohol and benzodiazepine use both increased significantly during the lockdowns, displaying an opposing trend. While benzodiazepine use progressively returned to baseline levels, alcohol remained at significantly increased levels, even in September 2022. Long-term heavy drinking combined with substance use should be seriously considered, since these results in several health and social problems alongside alcohol-related comorbidities. Thus, appropriate response plans should be implemented both during and after the pandemic, whilst focusing on those who are most vulnerable.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessio Gili & Massimo Lancia & Angela Gambelunghe & Luca Tomassini & Alessia Nicoletti & Kyriaki Aroni & Cristiana Gambelunghe, 2023. "Long-Term Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug/Alcohol Use Prevalence in a Population with Substance Use Disorders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-10, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:13:p:6261-:d:1183618
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/13/6261/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/13/6261/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alessio Gili & Mauro Bacci & Kyriaki Aroni & Alessia Nicoletti & Angela Gambelunghe & Isabella Mercurio & Cristiana Gambelunghe, 2021. "Changes in Drug Use Patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: Monitoring a Vulnerable Group by Hair Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jacques Gaume & Elodie Schmutz & Jean-Bernard Daeppen & Frank Zobel, 2021. "Evolution of the Illegal Substances Market and Substance Users’ Social Situation and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Rebecca S. Bolinski & Suzan Walters & Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar & Lawrence J. Ouellet & Wiley D. Jenkins & Ellen Almirol & Brent Van Ham & Scott Fletcher & Christian Johnson & John A. Schneider & Dan, 2022. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug Use Behaviors, Fentanyl Exposure, and Harm Reduction Service Support among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-12, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:13:p:6261-:d:1183618. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.