Assessing clinical impacts and attitudes related to COVID-19 among residential substance use disorder patients

• Published in: Substance abuse Vol. 43; no. 1; p. 756
• Main Authors: Wildberger, Jared, Wenzel, Kevin, Fishman, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2022
• Subjects: Attitude; COVID-19; Humans; Male; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; COVID-19; patient attitudes; substance use treatment; treatment engagement
• ISSN: 1547-0164
• DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2021.2010249

: Individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) may be particularly at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes to the pandemic among individuals with SUD. : Survey responses from 266 patients entering a residential treatment program were analyzed. : Most participants were White or African American men. A third of participants reported that their substance use had increased during the pandemic (38%), and that they had stockpiled substances because of concerns about supply (30%). A majority of participants indicated more depression (60%), anxiety (61%), worry about finances (62%), and feeling worse about their substance use due to COVID-19 (67%). An exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors that measured interest in SUD treatment, psychological symptoms, adherence to health recommendations, perceptions of vulnerability to COVID-19, and substance use during COVID-19. African American participants indicated a greater interest in treatment than Whites, while White participants indicated increased symptoms and substance use during COVID-19 ( < .05). Further, African Americans were more likely to have known someone who had developed COVID-19 than whites ( < .05). Older participants indicated adhering to health recommendations more than younger participants, using substances less than younger participants, as well as feeling more vulnerable to COVID-19 ( < .05). : This is the first study to examine patient attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 at a residential SUD treatment program. Treatment providers should be aware of patient attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 paying special attention to barriers to treatment engagement.