Scholarlink

Background <p>The COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted mental health and substance use-related outcomes in the general population. However, few studies have compared specific substance use patterns and behaviors and mental health outcomes between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods among persons who inject drugs with HCV infection.</p> Methods <p>This study included a secondary trend analysis using data from the HERO study. The pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 periods within the HERO study timeframe were compared on substance use and mental health outcomes, which were measured at multiple timepoints per participant. Substance use behaviors included the use, reuse, and sharing of drug injection equipment; the type of substance used; and mental health outcomes included depression and anxiety. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test changes in the study outcomes between the pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 periods.</p> Results <p>Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, the COVID-19 period was associated with higher likelihoods of injecting drugs [aOR = 1.64; 95% CI (1.23, 2.17); <i>p</i> = 0.001], reusing one’s injection equipment [aOR = 3.14; 95% CI (2.28, 4.32); <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001], using benzodiazepines [aOR = 4.16; 95% CI (2.02, 8.58); <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001] and other opiates/pills/painkillers [aOR = 1.72; 95% CI (1.01, 2.93); <i>p</i> = 0.047], and higher depression [estimated mean difference = 0.97; 95% CI (0.09, 1.85); <i>p</i> = 0.030]. There were no significant differences in sharing of drug injection equipment and anxiety between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.</p> Conclusions <p>Compared to pre-COVID-19 period, injection drug use and reuse of drug injection equipment increased during the COVID-19 period. There was an increase in the use of certain drug types (benzodiazepines and opiates/pills/painkillers) and a rise in depression levels during COVID-19. Ensuring continuity of access to healthcare, including harm reduction services, treatment for substance use and mental health during health crisis times, is important for catering to the special healthcare needs of PWID.</p> Clinical trial <p>This research is a secondary analysis study based on data from the parent trial, the HERO study (Litwin et al., <CitationRef CitationID="CR10">2019</CitationRef>; Litwin et al., <CitationRef CitationID="CR11">2022</CitationRef>) registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02824640, 07/01/2016).</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Substance use and mental health before versus during COVID-19 pandemic among persons who inject drugs with HCV infection history—the HERO study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月21日

查看全文
  • Snehal S. Lopes,
  • Irene Pericot-Valverde,
  • Paula J. Lum,
  • Lynn E. Taylor,
  • Shruti H. Mehta,
  • Judith I. Tsui,
  • Judith Feinberg,
  • Arthur Y. Kim,
  • Brianna L. Norton,
  • Kimberly Page,
  • Cristina Murray-Krezan,
  • Jessica Anderson,
  • Alison Karasz,
  • Julia Arnsten,
  • Phillip Moschella,
  • Moonseong Heo,
  • Alain H. Litwin

摘要

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted mental health and substance use-related outcomes in the general population. However, few studies have compared specific substance use patterns and behaviors and mental health outcomes between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods among persons who inject drugs with HCV infection.

Methods

This study included a secondary trend analysis using data from the HERO study. The pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 periods within the HERO study timeframe were compared on substance use and mental health outcomes, which were measured at multiple timepoints per participant. Substance use behaviors included the use, reuse, and sharing of drug injection equipment; the type of substance used; and mental health outcomes included depression and anxiety. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test changes in the study outcomes between the pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 periods.

Results

Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, the COVID-19 period was associated with higher likelihoods of injecting drugs [aOR = 1.64; 95% CI (1.23, 2.17); p = 0.001], reusing one’s injection equipment [aOR = 3.14; 95% CI (2.28, 4.32); p < 0.001], using benzodiazepines [aOR = 4.16; 95% CI (2.02, 8.58); p < 0.001] and other opiates/pills/painkillers [aOR = 1.72; 95% CI (1.01, 2.93); p = 0.047], and higher depression [estimated mean difference = 0.97; 95% CI (0.09, 1.85); p = 0.030]. There were no significant differences in sharing of drug injection equipment and anxiety between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.

Conclusions

Compared to pre-COVID-19 period, injection drug use and reuse of drug injection equipment increased during the COVID-19 period. There was an increase in the use of certain drug types (benzodiazepines and opiates/pills/painkillers) and a rise in depression levels during COVID-19. Ensuring continuity of access to healthcare, including harm reduction services, treatment for substance use and mental health during health crisis times, is important for catering to the special healthcare needs of PWID.

Clinical trial

This research is a secondary analysis study based on data from the parent trial, the HERO study (Litwin et al., 2019; Litwin et al., 2022) registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02824640, 07/01/2016).