ArticlePloS one2023
Substance use, psychiatric symptoms, personal mastery, and social support among COVID-19 long haulers: A compensatory model.
Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Comparison of Mental Illness Comorbidity Pre-Pandemic vs. Pandemic-Era and Associations with Clinical and Demographic Characteristics for Virginia Public Hospital Inpatient Discharges with a Substance Use Disorder.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an online mindful walking intervention among COVID-19 long haulers: A mixed methods study including daily diary surveys.PLOS digital health · 2025Article
- The role of mastery in Crohn's disease: a cross-sectional study.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2025Article
- Household Compositions and Substance Use among Young Adults in the U.S.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Workplace access, burnout, and prescription drug misuse among Korean hospital nurses: a cross-sectional study.BMC nursing · 2024Article
- Psychiatric Symptoms, Treatment Uptake, and Barriers to Mental Health Care Among US Adults With Post-COVID-19 Condition.JAMA network open · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundSubstance use has become a critical health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, and emerging attention has been paid to people with the persistent symptoms of COVID-19 (COVID-19 long haulers) due to their high vulnerability. However, scant research has investigated their substance use and relevant psychosocial factors. The current study was to (1) examine substance use behaviors (i.e., legal drug use, illicit drug use, and non-medical use of prescription drugs); and (2) assessed their associations with psychiatric symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder) and psychosocial factors (i.e., personal mastery and social support) among COVID-19 long haulers.
methodsIn January-March 2022, 460 COVID-19 long haulers (50% female), with an average age of 32, completed online surveys regarding their demographics, substance use, psychiatric symptoms, and psychosocial factors.
resultsIn the past three months, the most commonly used or non-medically used substances were tobacco (82%) for legal drugs, cocaine (53%) for illicit drugs, and prescription opioids (67%) for prescription drugs. Structural equation modeling suggested that psychiatric symptoms were positively associated with substance use behaviors (βs = 0.38 to .68, ps < 0.001), while psychosocial factors were negatively associated with substance use behaviors (βs = -0.61 to -0.43, ps < 0.001).
conclusionSubstance use is common in COVID-19 long haulers and psychiatric symptoms are the risk factors. Personal mastery and social support appear to offer protection offsetting the psychiatric influences. Substance use prevention and mental health services for COVID-19 long haulers should attend to personal mastery and social support.
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