IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i22p12155-d682958.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Increases in Alcohol and Cannabis Use Associated with Deteriorating Mental Health among LGBTQ2+ Adults in the Context of COVID-19: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in Canada, 2020–2021

Author

Listed:
  • Trevor Goodyear

    (School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada
    British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada)

  • Allie Slemon

    (School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada)

  • Chris Richardson

    (School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
    Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada)

  • Anne Gadermann

    (School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
    Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
    The Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada)

  • Travis Salway

    (British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4R4, Canada
    Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
    Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada)

  • Shivinder Dhari

    (School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada)

  • Rod Knight

    (British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada
    Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada)

  • Emily Jenkins

    (School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada)

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, other queer, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2+) people are particularly at risk for the psycho-social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, though population-tailored research within this context remains limited. This study examines the extent of, and associations between, increased alcohol and cannabis use and deteriorating mental health among LGBTQ2+ adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data are drawn from LGBTQ2+ respondents to a repeated, cross-sectional survey administered to adults living in Canada (May 2020–January 2021). Bivariate cross-tabulations and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to examine associations between increased alcohol and cannabis use, and self-reported mental health, overall coping, and suicidal thoughts. Five-hundred and two LGBTQ2+ participants were included in this analysis. Of these, 24.5% reported increased alcohol use and 18.5% reported increased cannabis use due to the pandemic. In the adjusted analyses, increased alcohol use was associated with poor overall coping (OR = 2.28; 95% CI = 1.28–4.07) and worse self-reported mental health (OR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.21–3.25), whereas increased cannabis use was associated with suicidal thoughts (OR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.16–4.55). These findings underscore the need for population-tailored, integrated substance use and mental health supports to address interrelated increases in alcohol/cannabis use and worsening mental health among LGBTQ2+ adults, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Trevor Goodyear & Allie Slemon & Chris Richardson & Anne Gadermann & Travis Salway & Shivinder Dhari & Rod Knight & Emily Jenkins, 2021. "Increases in Alcohol and Cannabis Use Associated with Deteriorating Mental Health among LGBTQ2+ Adults in the Context of COVID-19: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in Canada, 2020–2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12155-:d:682958
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/12155/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/12155/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. van Ours, Jan C. & Williams, Jenny & Fergusson, David & Horwood, L. John, 2013. "Cannabis use and suicidal ideation," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 524-537.
    2. Robert Stanton & Quyen G. To & Saman Khalesi & Susan L. Williams & Stephanie J. Alley & Tanya L. Thwaite & Andrew S. Fenning & Corneel Vandelanotte, 2020. "Depression, Anxiety and Stress during COVID-19: Associations with Changes in Physical Activity, Sleep, Tobacco and Alcohol Use in Australian Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Hottes, T.S. & Bogaert, L. & Rhodes, A.E. & Brennan, D.J. & Gesink, D., 2016. "Lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts among sexual minority adults by study sampling strategies: A systematic review and meta-analysis," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(5), pages 1-12.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan & Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuniga & Oliver C. Ezechi & Brandon Brown & Annie L. Nguyen & Nourhan M. Aly & Passent Ellakany & Ifeoma E. Idigbe & Abeedha Tu-Allah Khan & Folake, 2022. "Associations between Emotional Distress, Sleep Changes, Decreased Tooth Brushing Frequency, Self-Reported Oral Ulcers and SARS-Cov-2 Infection during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-11, September.
    2. Jan C. Ours & Jenny Williams, 2015. "Cannabis Use And Its Effects On Health, Education And Labor Market Success," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(5), pages 993-1010, December.
    3. Ali Palali & Jan C. van Ours, 2015. "Distance to Cannabis Shops and Age of Onset of Cannabis Use," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(11), pages 1483-1501, November.
    4. Joanna Baj-Korpak & Kamil Zaworski & Ewa Szymczuk & Andrei Shpakou, 2022. "Physical Activity and Mental Health of Medical Students from Poland and Belarus-Countries with Different Restrictive Approaches during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-15, October.
    5. I-Hsuan Lin & Nai-Ying Ko & Yu-Te Huang & Mu-Hong Chen & Wei-Hsin Lu & Cheng-Fang Yen, 2019. "Effect of Same-Sex Marriage Referendums on the Suicidal Ideation Rate among Nonheterosexual People in Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-11, September.
    6. Gregory Knell & Michael C. Robertson & Erin E. Dooley & Katie Burford & Karla S. Mendez, 2020. "Health Behavior Changes During COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent “Stay-at-Home” Orders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.
    7. Chakraborty Avinandan & Doremus Jacqueline & Stith Sarah, 2021. "The effects of recreational cannabis access on labor markets: evidence from Colorado," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-86, January.
    8. Susan B. Sisson & Adrien Malek-Lasater & Timothy G. Ford & Diane Horm & Kyong-Ah Kwon, 2023. "Predictors of Overweight and Obesity in Early Care and Education Teachers during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Perry, Seth W & Allison, Stephen & Bastiampillai, Tarun & Wong, Ma-Li & Licinio, Julio & Sharfstein, Steven S. & Wilcox, Holly C., 2019. "Rising US Suicides: Achieving Health Equity," OSF Preprints m5q64, Center for Open Science.
    10. Shimaa Elkomy & Tim Jackson, 2024. "Health resilience and the global pandemic: The effect of social conditions on the COVID‐19 mortality rate," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(5), pages 2342-2371, July.
    11. Guillemette Quatremère & Romain Guignard & Raphaël Andler & Sandie Sempé & Nathalie Houzelle & Viêt Nguyen-Thanh, 2022. "Changes in Tobacco and Alcohol Consumption in France during the Spring 2020 Lockdown: Results of the Coviprev and Viquop Surveys," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.
    12. Palali, A. & van Ours, J.C., 2014. "Cannabis Use and Support for Cannabis Legalization," Discussion Paper 2014-027, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    13. Sun Hee Kim & Hee Sun Kang, 2022. "Health Promotion Behaviors of Pregnant Couples in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Actor-Partner Interdependence Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-10, June.
    14. Palali, A. & van Ours, J.C., 2014. "Cannabis Use and Support for Cannabis Legalization," Discussion Paper 2014-027, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    15. Qin Hu & Maki Umeda, 2021. "Stress, Anxiety, and Depression for Chinese Residents in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-10, May.
    16. Isidora Vujčić & Teodora Safiye & Bojana Milikić & Emina Popović & Draško Dubljanin & Eleonora Dubljanin & Jakša Dubljanin & Milanko Čabarkapa, 2021. "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic and Mental Health Status in the General Adult Population of Serbia: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    17. Alejandro Salazar & Jenifer Palomo-Osuna & Helena de Sola & Jose A. Moral-Munoz & María Dueñas & Inmaculada Failde, 2021. "Psychological Impact of the Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in University Workers: Factors Related to Stress, Anxiety, and Depression," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-16, April.
    18. Albertas Skurvydas & Ausra Lisinskiene & Daiva Majauskiene & Dovile Valanciene & Ruta Dadeliene & Natalja Istomina & Asta Sarkauskiene, 2022. "The Effect of COVID-19 Restrictions on Changes in Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Was “A Double-Edged Sword”: It Improved for Some and Worsened for Others," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-13, August.
    19. Nai-Ying Ko & I-Hsuan Lin & Yu-Te Huang & Mu-Hong Chen & Wei-Hsin Lu & Cheng-Fang Yen, 2020. "Associations of Perceived Socially Unfavorable Attitudes toward Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage with Suicidal Ideation in Taiwanese People before and after Same-Sex Marriage Referendums," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, February.
    20. Megan E. Gerdes & Lucy A. Aistis & Naomi A. Sachs & Marcus Williams & Jennifer D. Roberts & Rachel E. Rosenberg Goldstein, 2022. "Reducing Anxiety with Nature and Gardening (RANG): Evaluating the Impacts of Gardening and Outdoor Activities on Anxiety among U.S. Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-20, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12155-:d:682958. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.