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Substance Use among Belgian Higher Education Students before and during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Tholen

    (Center for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Koen Ponnet

    (Department of Communication Studies, imec-mict, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Guido Van Hal

    (Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Social Epidemiology and Health Policy, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Sara De Bruyn

    (Center for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Veerle Buffel

    (Center for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Sarah Van de Velde

    (Center for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Piet Bracke

    (Department of Sociology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Edwin Wouters

    (Center for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted many countries to issue far-reaching policy measures that may have led to increased substance use. Higher education students may have been disproportionally affected due to the rearrangement of educational life and their susceptibility to psychosocial distress and substance use. The current study examined associations between pandemic-related stressors, psychosocial distress, and self-reported alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use before and during the first wave of the pandemic. Data were collected in Belgium as part of the COVID-19 International Student Well-being Study (C19 ISWS) and analyzed using multinomial logistic regression analyses. The sample contained 18,346 higher education students aged 17 to 24 (75% women). Overall use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis as well as binge drinking decreased during the pandemic, perhaps due to limited social gatherings. Moving back to the parental home was associated with decreased substance use, while depressive symptoms were associated with increased substance use. Perceived threat and academic stress were associated with increased binge drinking among heavy bingers and increased tobacco use. Decreases among students who moved back to their parental home may be explained by increased informal social control. Increased substance use was associated with a number of stressors and psychosocial distress, which suggests that some students may have been self-medicating to manage their mental health amidst the pandemic. Public health policy concerning substance use may prove to be less effective if not tailored to particular subgroups within the student population.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Tholen & Koen Ponnet & Guido Van Hal & Sara De Bruyn & Veerle Buffel & Sarah Van de Velde & Piet Bracke & Edwin Wouters, 2022. "Substance Use among Belgian Higher Education Students before and during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:4348-:d:787071
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Margarida Vasconcelos & Alberto Crego & Rui Rodrigues & Natália Almeida-Antunes & Eduardo López-Caneda, 2021. "Effects of the COVID-19 Mitigation Measures on Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking in College Students: A Longitudinal Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.
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    6. Kirsten J. M. van Hooijdonk & Milagros Rubio & Sterre S. H. Simons & Tirza H. J. van Noorden & Maartje Luijten & Sabine A. E. Geurts & Jacqueline M. Vink, 2022. "Student-, Study- and COVID-19-Related Predictors of Students’ Smoking, Binge Drinking and Cannabis Use before and during the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown in The Netherlands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Marie Pierre Tavolacci & Edwin Wouters & Sarah Van de Velde & Veerle Buffel & Pierre Déchelotte & Guido Van Hal & Joel Ladner, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Health Behaviors among Students of a French University," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-14, April.
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