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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Substance Use

Year 2025, Volume: 26 Issue: 1, 12 - 23
https://doi.org/10.51982/bagimli.1475730

Abstract

Objective: As the pandemic spreads worldwide, individuals are exposed to factors such as social isolation, economic uncertainty, and general stress, which has increased the risk of substance use and addiction. Studies show that the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased substance use disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on substance use disorders.
Method: The study was planned as a retrospective study. This study was based on March 11, 2020, the date when the COVID-19 case was first seen in Turkey, for 4 years, including two years before the pandemic and two years during the pandemic process, between 11.03.2018 and 11.03.2022. 1743 cases referred to the psychiatric outpatient clinic within the scope of probation were included.
Results: While substance use was detected in 834 people in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period (March 2018-March 2020), substance use was detected in 909 people during the COVID-19 pandemic period (March 2020-March 2022). A significant increase in substance use was detected in female gender during the pandemic period. A statistically significant increase was observed in methamphetamine, opioid, cocaine and multiple substance use during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Conclusion: The data of our study show substance use rates in Turkey before and during the pandemic. The study will be useful to understand the impact of COVID-19 on drug use frequencies in Türkiye.

Ethical Statement

No

Supporting Institution

No

Thanks

No

References

  • Kumari A, Ranjan P, Chopra S, et al. Knowledge, barriers and facilitators regarding COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination programme among the general population: a cross-sectional survey from one thousand two hundred and forty-nine participants. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2021; 15(3): 987-992.
  • WHO Coronavirus Disease Dashboard. (Accessed June 05, 2024)
  • Czeisler MÉ, Lane RI, Petrosky E, et al. Mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic United States, June 24-30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69(32): 1049-1057.
  • Dubey S, Biswas P, Ghosh R, et al. Psychosocial impact of COVID-19. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2020; 14(5): 779-788.
  • Layman HM, Thorisdottir IE, Halldorsdottir T, et al. Substance use among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2022; 24(6): 307-324.
  • Roberts A, Rogers J, Mason R, et al. Alcohol and other substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 229: 109150.
  • Baillargeon J, Polychronopoulou E, Kuo Y-F, Raji MA. The impact of substance use disorder on COVID-19 outcomes. Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72(5): 578-581.
  • Chacon NC, Walia N, Allen A, et al. Substance use during COVID-19 pandemic: impact on the underserved communities. Discoveries 2021; 9(4): 141.
  • Avena NM, Simkus J, Lewandowski A, et al. Substance use disorders and behavioral addictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 related restrictions. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12: 653674.
  • Walker DD, Jaffe AE, Pierce AR, et al. Discussing substance use with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a motivational interviewing approach. Psychol Trauma 2020; 12(1): 115-117.
  • Kar P, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Giesbrecht G, et al. Alcohol and substance use in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 225: 108760.
  • Devoto A, Himelein-Wachowiak M, Liu T, Curtis B. Women's substance use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Womens Health Issues 2022; 32(3): 235-240.
  • Rodriguez LM, Litt DM, Stewart SH. Drinking to cope with the pandemic: The unique associations of COVID-19-related perceived threat and psychological distress to drinking behaviors in American men and women. Addict Behav 2020; 110: 106532.
  • Connor J, Madhavan S, Mokashi M, et al. Health risks and outcomes that disproportionately affect women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review. Soc Sci Med 2020; 266: 113364.
  • MacMillan T, Corrigan MJ, Coffey K, et al. Exploring factors associated with alcohol and/or substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Ment Health Addict 2022; 20(3): 1814-1823.
  • Ballivian J, Alcaide ML, Cecchini D, et al. Impact of COVID–19-related stress and lockdown on mental health among people living with HIV in Argentina. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2020; 85(4): 475-482.
  • van Laar MW, Oomen PE, van Miltenburg CJA, et al. Cannabis and COVID-19: reasons for concern. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11: 601653.
  • Öztürk YE, Yeter O, Ateş I. Changes in the frequency and pattern of drugs detected among suspected drug users during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Int J Legal Med 2022; 136(5): 1273-1279.
  • İçişleri Bakanlığı Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü Narkotik Suçlarla Mücadele Daire Başkanlığı Türkiye Uyuşturucu Raporu 2022. (Available from: https://narkotik.pol.tr/kurumlar/narkotik.pol.tr/TUB%C4%B0M/Ulusal%20Yay%C4%B1nlar/Turkiye-Uyusturucu-Raporu-2022.pdf).
  • Smith CL, Waters SF, Spellacy D, et al. Substance use and mental health in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2022; 40(5): 465-478.
  • Young-Wolff KC, Ray GT, Alexeeff SE, et al. Rates of prenatal cannabis use among pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA 2021; 326(17): 1745-1747.
  • Sylvestre MP, Dinkou GDT, Naja M, et al. A longitudinal study of change in substance use from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults. Lancet Reg Health Am 2022; 8: 100168.
  • Hossain MK, Hassanzadeganroudsari M, Apostolopoulos V. Why METH users are at high risk of fatality due to COVID-19 infection? Expert Rev Vaccines 2020; 19(12): 1101-1103.
  • Carlyle M, Leung J, Walter ZC, et al. Changes in substance use among people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: evaluating mental health outcomes and resilience. Subst Abuse 2021; 15: 11782218211061746.
  • Cohen JM, Li MJ, Javanbakht M, et al. Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep 2022; 5: 100097.
  • Volkow ND. Collision of the COVID-19 and addiction epidemics. Ann Intern Med 2021: 173(1): 61-62.
  • Wang QQ, Kaelber DC, Xu R, Volkow ND. COVID-19 risk and outcomes in patients with substance use disorders: analyses from electronic health records in the United States. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26(1): 30-39.
  • Morse SC, Fockele C, Huynh LN, et al. A qualitative study of people who use methamphetamine during the early COVID-19 pandemic to inform future ED harm reduction strategies. Int J Emerg Med 2023; 16(1): 30.
  • Rathnayake K, Agius PA, Ward B, et al. The impacts of COVID-19 measures on drug markets and drug use among a cohort of people who use methamphetamine in Victoria, Australia. Addiction 2023; 118(8): 1557-1568.
  • Ekici B, Ozbay S. Iranian methamphetamine and Turkey: an emerging transnational threat. Trends in Organized Crime 2013; 16(3): 286-305.
  • Bonnet U, Specka M, Roser P, Scherbaum N. Cannabis use, abuse and dependence during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. J Neural Transm 2023; 130(1): 7-18.
  • Nguyen N, Keyhani S, Ling PM, et al. Self-reported changes in cannabis use due to the COVID-19 pandemic among US adults. J Psychoactive Drugs 2022; 54(4): 295-299.
  • Vanderbruggen N, Matthys F, Van Laere S, et al. Self-reported alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use during COVID-19 lockdown measures: results from a web-based survey. Eur Addict Res 2020; 26(6): 309-315.
  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Drug market trends: cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, new psychoactive substances. World Drug Report 2022. (Available from: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report-2022.html).
  • EMCDDA, European Drug Report 2022: Trends and Developments, Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2022.
  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. World Drug Report 2022. Booklet 3, Drug market trends of cannabis and opioids. Veinna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2022.

COVID-19 Pandemisinin Madde Kullanımı Üzerindeki Etkisi

Year 2025, Volume: 26 Issue: 1, 12 - 23
https://doi.org/10.51982/bagimli.1475730

Abstract

Amaç: Pandeminin dünya çapında yayılmasıyla birlikte bireylerin sosyal izolasyon, ekonomik belirsizlik ve genel stres gibi faktörlere maruz kalması, madde kullanımı ve bağımlılık riskini artırdı. Yapılan çalışmalar SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) salgınının madde kullanım bozukluğunu arttırdığını göstermektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, COVID-19 pandemisinin madde kullanım bozukluğu üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir.
Yöntem: Çalışma geriye dönük bir çalışma olarak planlandı. Bu çalışmaya Türkiye’ de COVID-19 vakasının ilk görüldüğü tarih olan 11 Mart 2020 tarihi referans alınarak pandemi öncesi iki yıl ve pandemi sürecindeki iki yıllık süre olmak üzere 4 yıl boyunca 11.03.2018-11.03.2022 tarihleri arasında Ruh Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Polikliniği’nde denetimli serbestlik (DS) kapsamında yönlendirilen 1743 olgu dahil edilmiştir.
Bulgular: COVID-19 pandemi öncesi dönemde (Mart 2018-Mart 2020) 834 kişide madde kullanımı saptanırken COVID-19 pandemi süreci döneminde (Mart 2020-Mart 2022) ise 909 kişide madde kullanımı saptanmıştır. Pandemi döneminde kadın cinsiyette madde kullanımında anlamlı bir artış saptanmıştır. Pandemi döneminde metamfetamin, opioid, kokain ve çoklu madde kullanımında pandemi öncesine göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı artış görüldü.
Sonuç: Çalışmamızın verileri, Türkiye'de pandemiden önce ve pandemi döneminde madde kullanım oranlarını göstermektedir. Çalışma, COVID-19'un Türkiye'deki uyuşturucu kullanım sıklıkları üzerindeki etkisini anlamak için faydalı olacaktır.

Ethical Statement

yok

Supporting Institution

yok

Thanks

yok

References

  • Kumari A, Ranjan P, Chopra S, et al. Knowledge, barriers and facilitators regarding COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination programme among the general population: a cross-sectional survey from one thousand two hundred and forty-nine participants. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2021; 15(3): 987-992.
  • WHO Coronavirus Disease Dashboard. (Accessed June 05, 2024)
  • Czeisler MÉ, Lane RI, Petrosky E, et al. Mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic United States, June 24-30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69(32): 1049-1057.
  • Dubey S, Biswas P, Ghosh R, et al. Psychosocial impact of COVID-19. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2020; 14(5): 779-788.
  • Layman HM, Thorisdottir IE, Halldorsdottir T, et al. Substance use among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2022; 24(6): 307-324.
  • Roberts A, Rogers J, Mason R, et al. Alcohol and other substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 229: 109150.
  • Baillargeon J, Polychronopoulou E, Kuo Y-F, Raji MA. The impact of substance use disorder on COVID-19 outcomes. Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72(5): 578-581.
  • Chacon NC, Walia N, Allen A, et al. Substance use during COVID-19 pandemic: impact on the underserved communities. Discoveries 2021; 9(4): 141.
  • Avena NM, Simkus J, Lewandowski A, et al. Substance use disorders and behavioral addictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 related restrictions. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12: 653674.
  • Walker DD, Jaffe AE, Pierce AR, et al. Discussing substance use with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a motivational interviewing approach. Psychol Trauma 2020; 12(1): 115-117.
  • Kar P, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Giesbrecht G, et al. Alcohol and substance use in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 225: 108760.
  • Devoto A, Himelein-Wachowiak M, Liu T, Curtis B. Women's substance use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Womens Health Issues 2022; 32(3): 235-240.
  • Rodriguez LM, Litt DM, Stewart SH. Drinking to cope with the pandemic: The unique associations of COVID-19-related perceived threat and psychological distress to drinking behaviors in American men and women. Addict Behav 2020; 110: 106532.
  • Connor J, Madhavan S, Mokashi M, et al. Health risks and outcomes that disproportionately affect women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review. Soc Sci Med 2020; 266: 113364.
  • MacMillan T, Corrigan MJ, Coffey K, et al. Exploring factors associated with alcohol and/or substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Ment Health Addict 2022; 20(3): 1814-1823.
  • Ballivian J, Alcaide ML, Cecchini D, et al. Impact of COVID–19-related stress and lockdown on mental health among people living with HIV in Argentina. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2020; 85(4): 475-482.
  • van Laar MW, Oomen PE, van Miltenburg CJA, et al. Cannabis and COVID-19: reasons for concern. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11: 601653.
  • Öztürk YE, Yeter O, Ateş I. Changes in the frequency and pattern of drugs detected among suspected drug users during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Int J Legal Med 2022; 136(5): 1273-1279.
  • İçişleri Bakanlığı Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü Narkotik Suçlarla Mücadele Daire Başkanlığı Türkiye Uyuşturucu Raporu 2022. (Available from: https://narkotik.pol.tr/kurumlar/narkotik.pol.tr/TUB%C4%B0M/Ulusal%20Yay%C4%B1nlar/Turkiye-Uyusturucu-Raporu-2022.pdf).
  • Smith CL, Waters SF, Spellacy D, et al. Substance use and mental health in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2022; 40(5): 465-478.
  • Young-Wolff KC, Ray GT, Alexeeff SE, et al. Rates of prenatal cannabis use among pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA 2021; 326(17): 1745-1747.
  • Sylvestre MP, Dinkou GDT, Naja M, et al. A longitudinal study of change in substance use from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults. Lancet Reg Health Am 2022; 8: 100168.
  • Hossain MK, Hassanzadeganroudsari M, Apostolopoulos V. Why METH users are at high risk of fatality due to COVID-19 infection? Expert Rev Vaccines 2020; 19(12): 1101-1103.
  • Carlyle M, Leung J, Walter ZC, et al. Changes in substance use among people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: evaluating mental health outcomes and resilience. Subst Abuse 2021; 15: 11782218211061746.
  • Cohen JM, Li MJ, Javanbakht M, et al. Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep 2022; 5: 100097.
  • Volkow ND. Collision of the COVID-19 and addiction epidemics. Ann Intern Med 2021: 173(1): 61-62.
  • Wang QQ, Kaelber DC, Xu R, Volkow ND. COVID-19 risk and outcomes in patients with substance use disorders: analyses from electronic health records in the United States. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26(1): 30-39.
  • Morse SC, Fockele C, Huynh LN, et al. A qualitative study of people who use methamphetamine during the early COVID-19 pandemic to inform future ED harm reduction strategies. Int J Emerg Med 2023; 16(1): 30.
  • Rathnayake K, Agius PA, Ward B, et al. The impacts of COVID-19 measures on drug markets and drug use among a cohort of people who use methamphetamine in Victoria, Australia. Addiction 2023; 118(8): 1557-1568.
  • Ekici B, Ozbay S. Iranian methamphetamine and Turkey: an emerging transnational threat. Trends in Organized Crime 2013; 16(3): 286-305.
  • Bonnet U, Specka M, Roser P, Scherbaum N. Cannabis use, abuse and dependence during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. J Neural Transm 2023; 130(1): 7-18.
  • Nguyen N, Keyhani S, Ling PM, et al. Self-reported changes in cannabis use due to the COVID-19 pandemic among US adults. J Psychoactive Drugs 2022; 54(4): 295-299.
  • Vanderbruggen N, Matthys F, Van Laere S, et al. Self-reported alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use during COVID-19 lockdown measures: results from a web-based survey. Eur Addict Res 2020; 26(6): 309-315.
  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Drug market trends: cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, new psychoactive substances. World Drug Report 2022. (Available from: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report-2022.html).
  • EMCDDA, European Drug Report 2022: Trends and Developments, Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2022.
  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. World Drug Report 2022. Booklet 3, Drug market trends of cannabis and opioids. Veinna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2022.
There are 36 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Psychiatry, Subtance Abuse
Journal Section Research
Authors

Doğancan Sönmez 0000-0003-0937-8264

Kübra Sönmez 0009-0001-1060-6503

Meltem Puşuroğlu 0000-0002-1970-3262

Bulent Bahceci 0000-0002-7591-3643

Çiçek Hocaoğlu 0000-0001-6613-4317

Publication Date
Submission Date April 30, 2024
Acceptance Date June 28, 2024
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 26 Issue: 1

Cite

AMA Sönmez D, Sönmez K, Puşuroğlu M, Bahceci B, Hocaoğlu Ç. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Substance Use. Bağımlılık Dergisi. 26(1):12-23. doi:10.51982/bagimli.1475730

Bağımlılık Dergisi - Journal of Dependence