Cigarette and e-cigarette use as a function of psychological distress following COVID-19 related university campus closures.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse
; 49(2): 239-248, 2023 03 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2252310
ABSTRACT
Background:
Individuals experienced increased social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies have found social isolation and loneliness to be strongly associated with anxiety and depression, which have been associated with increased smoking and vaping rates among young adults, including college students.Objectives:
To examine relationships between psychological distress and nicotine use within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey (n = 4634; 77.9% female) was used to collect nicotine use and psychological measures from students enrolled at a large Midwestern university. Timeline follow-back data were collected from students reporting current cigarette or electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in the week before and immediately following the closure of campus due to the pandemic. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the interaction between nicotine use and psychological symptoms across the 2-week period.Results:
Both cigarette (Rate ratio (RR) = 1.115, 95% CI = 1.061, 1.171, p < .0001) and e-cigarette (ß = 0.258, 95% CI = 0.166, 0.351, p < .0001) use increased significantly following campus closure. Students experiencing higher levels of depression reported greater increases in e-cigarette use frequency over time as compared to students reporting fewer symptoms of depression (ß = 0.018, 95% CI = 0.006, 0.030, p = .004).Conclusions:
Increases in nicotine use were found immediately following the implementation of public health safety measures that closed most university campuses. Additional and/or increased stressors have potentially impacted young adults who are college students as a result of campus closures resulting from the pandemic, which may have contributed to further increases in nicotine use.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Tobacco Products
/
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
/
Vaping
/
Psychological Distress
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Young adult
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
00952990.2023.2171300
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS