Examining COVID-19 pandemic-related economic and household stress and its association with mental health, alcohol, and substance use in a national sample of Latinx sexual minority and heterosexual adults.

Abstract

Objective: Sexual minority adults of Latinx descent faced compounded intersectional stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic across socioeconomic and health domains. Latinx people have experienced some of the highest COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates in the United States in addition to significant economic challenges. Yet, current data have not observed the unique pandemic-related experiences of sexual minority Latinx (SML) adults. We examined sexual identity differences in economic and household stress, social support, mental health symptomatology (depression, anxiety), alcohol, and substance use among sexual minority and nonsexual minority Latinx adults in the United States. Method: Primary data were collected via the AmeriSpeak panel, a national probability sample of U.S.-based 2,286 Latinx adults [sexual minority = .34% (n = 465)]. Data were collected from November 2020 to January 2021, during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: SML adults endorsed higher levels of economic and household stress, mental health symptomatology, and alcohol and substance use than nonsexual minority Latinx adults. Economic stress was associated with increased mental health symptomatology, alcohol, and substance use among SML adults. Social support moderated the association between economic stress and mental health symptomatology and substance use, but not alcohol use. Conclusion: Findings highlighted unique intersectional considerations among SML adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the importance of social support and the negative toll of economic stress on mental health and substance use. Public Significance StatementA national sample of 2,286 U.S.-based Latinx adults [Sexual Minority = 20.34% (n = 465)] participated in an online survey between November 2020 and January 2021, commonly considered the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings revealed that sexual minority Latinx adults endorsed higher levels of economic and household stress, mental health symptomatology, and alcohol and substance use than nonsexual minority Latinx adults. Further, sexual minority Latinx adults also reported lower levels of social support than their heterosexual counterparts.

Trends in deaths following drug use in England before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns

“…It may be surprising that deaths following alcohol use did not change following the first lockdown, as it is well documented that alcohol use increased for many people (77)(78)(79)(80). However, NPSAD reporting criteria is dependent upon psychoactive drug use, so any alcohol-related deaths are actually combined drug-and alcohol-related.…”