Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33310690›Full record

ArticleAddictive behaviors2021

Substance use and abuse, COVID-19-related distress, and disregard for social distancing: A network analysis.

Steven Taylor, Michelle M Paluszek, Geoffrey S Rachor, Dean McKay, Gordon J G Asmundson

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Addictive behaviors, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 121 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
121citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
28.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

121 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 223 citations in OpenAlex.

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  4. Changes in alcohol use during COVID-19 and associations with contextual and individual difference variables: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2022
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61 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Steven TaylorDepartment of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: steven.taylor@ubc.ca.
Michelle M PaluszekDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
Geoffrey S RachorDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
Dean McKayDepartment of Psychology, Fordham University of Regina, NY, USA.
Gordon J G AsmundsonDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
University of Regina · CAFordham University · USUniversity of British Columbia Hospital · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Research shows that there has been a substantial increase in substance use and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that substance use/abuse is a commonly reported way of coping with anxiety concerning COVID-19. Anxiety about COVID-19 is more than simply worry about infection. Research provides evidence of a COVID Stress Syndrome characterized by (1) worry about the dangers of COVID-19 and worry about coming into contact with coronavirus contaminated objects or surfaces, (2) worry about the personal socioeconomic impact of COVID-19, (3) xenophobic worries that foreigners are spreading COVID-19, (4) COVID-19-related traumatic stress symptoms (e.g., nightmares), and (5) COVID-19-related compulsive checking and reassurance-seeking. These form a network of interrelated nodes. Research also provides evidence of another constellation or "syndrome", characterized by (1) belief that one has robust physical health against COVID-19, (2) belief that the threat of COVID-19 has been exaggerated, and (3) disregard for social distancing. These also form a network of nodes known as a COVID-19 Disregard Syndrome. The present study, based on a population-representative sample of 3075 American and Canadian adults, sought to investigate how these syndromes are related to substance use and abuse. We found substantial COVID-19-related increases in alcohol and drug use. Network analyses indicated that although the two syndromes are negatively correlated with one another, they both have positive links to alcohol and drug abuse. More specifically, COVID-19-related traumatic stress symptoms and the tendency to disregard social distancing were both linked to substance abuse. Clinical and public health implications are discussed.

Indexed as

Physical DistancingSocial Network AnalysisAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCOVID-19FemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsQuarantineStress, PsychologicalSubstance-Related DisordersYoung AdultAlcohol abuseCOVID-19COVID stress syndromeDrug abuseNetwork analysisSocial distancing

Identifiers

PMID33310690
PMCPMC8164919
OpenAlexW3108192182

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.