ABSTRACT
Significance: Reserve/National Guard (R/NG) soldiers, with both civilian and military identities, roles, and responsibilities, have recently been called upon to assist with the COVID-19 response and civil unrest/protests. Responding to these politically charged emergencies involving US citizens may be stressful and may increase soldiers' problematic alcohol use. This work examined if responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest impacts R/NG soldiers' problematic alcohol use and the extent to which psychological hardiness smight buffer these effects. Methods: A subset of data (N = 130 male soldiers) were drawn from the 5th follow-up of Operation: SAFETY (Soldiers and Families Excelling Through the Years), an ongoing longitudinal study of US Army R/NG soldiers. Soldiers were asked if they had been activated or mobilized (yes/no) for: 1.) the COVID-19 pandemic and/or 2.) civil unrest/protests. Problematic alcohol use was assessed by AUDIT total score and 3 subscales scores, as well as a measure of frequent heavy drinking (FHD). We used separate regression models to examine the relations between responding to these events and each alcohol-related outcome. Final models controlled for age and current military rank (enlisted vs. officer). Lastly, psychological hardiness was examined as a protective factor. Results: Approximately one in four soldiers were activated/mobilized to address COVID-19 (28%) and/or civil unrest/protests (23%). In unadjusted and adjusted models, COVID-19 response was associated with significantly higher total AUDIT score (aOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.15), the alcohol dependence subscale score (aOR: 8.39, 95% CI: 2.61, 26.92), and the alcohol-related harm subscale score (trend, p = .05). Activation/mobilization to address civil unrest/protests was also associated with significantly higher total AUDIT score (aOR: 2.08, CI:1.54, 2.82), the alcohol dependence subscale score (aOR:12.90, CI: 3.93, 42.42), the alcohol-related harm subscale score (aOR: 4.68, CI: 1.78, 12.29), and frequent heavy drinking (aOR:1.44, CI:1.10, 1.88). Psychological hardiness was a significant protective factor against increased alcohol use. Conclusions: Responding to COVID-19 and civil unrest/ protests is associated with increased alcohol use among male R/NG soldiers. As the relief efforts continue, it is important that soldiers be evaluated for problematic alcohol use and efforts to build resiliency to stress via psychological hardiness should be increased.