Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 on Substance Use Patterns Among US MSM Open Access

Abstract

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). Substance use, including the use of drugs and alcohol, is a prevalent public health issue among MSM in the United States (US). Large-scale disasters, such as global pandemics, are also known to significantly impact the lifestyles of individuals. We sought to understand the impact of COVID-19 on substance use patterns among US MSM.

Methods. We analyzed American Men’s Internet Survey (AMIS) data on MSM across the US. Data from 2019 and 2020 were used to examine how substance use patterns changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with AMIS-2019 data standing for the pre-COVID period and AMIS-2020 representing the COVID period. The prevalence of COVID-19 related impacts on marijuana use, other non-injection drug use, alcohol consumption frequency, and binge drinking behavior was calculated overall and stratified by age groups of 15-24 years and 25+ years. We calculated prevalence ratios using individual multivariate logistic regression models for each substance use outcome measure. These models controlled for race/ethnicity, household income, education level, and insurance status.

Results. Non-injection drug use, excluding marijuana, increased from 20.8% (2082/10130) in 2019 to 22.5% (2917/12956) in 2020. This change was more evident in younger MSM aged 15-24 years (PR=1.12; CI=1.05-1.19) compared to MSM aged 25+ years (PR=1.03; CI=0.99-1.07). Marijuana use remained constant across the study period (31.2% in 2019 and 31.5% in 2020). The number of binge drinking episodes also increased by 5% during the COVID-19 study period. Consumption of alcohol more than once per week was 11-20% more likely during the COVID period as opposed to pre-COVID.

Conclusion. Increased access to mental health resources should be considered a top priority to help mitigate reliance on detrimental health behaviors such as substance use. Disparities, as a result of the transition to digital services, should be met with the implementation of in-person services. Employment opportunities should be introduced for those impacted by job loss. Harm reduction services must be amplified or remain consistent to meet the needs and safety of the public.

Keywords. MSM; COVID-19; Substance Use; Alcohol; Drugs; Binge Drinking

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 1

Methods............................................................................................................................................ 4

Study Population and Procedures..................................................................................................... 4

Measures....................................................................................................................................... 5

Analytic Methods........................................................................................................................... 5

Results.............................................................................................................................................. 7

Discussion....................................................................................................................................... 12

References....................................................................................................................................... 15

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Epidemiology
Subfield / Discipline	Epidemiology - MPH & MSPH
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Epidemiology
Keyword	Substance Use Drugs Alcohol COVID-19 MSM Binge Drinking
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Travis Sanchez, Emory University

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	AMIS Survey Questions (Survey material for outcome data that was analyzed in the study)	2022-04-19 21:22:59 -0400	Press to Select an action Download