ORIGINAL PAPER
Perceived stress and pandemic-associated risk factors in high-risk alcohol consumers during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
1
Division of Developmental Psychiatry, Psychotic and Geriatric Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
2
Department of Regional Development, Faculty of Social Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
3
Institute of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
4
Adult Psychiatry Scientific Circle, Division of Developmental Psychiatry, Psychotic and Geriatric Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
Submission date: 2024-02-15
Final revision date: 2024-06-17
Acceptance date: 2024-07-22
Online publication date: 2024-08-28
Corresponding author
Aleksandra Brzozowska
Adult Psychiatry Scientific Circle, Division of Developmental Psychiatry, Psychotic and Geriatric Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
Adult Psychiatry Scientific Circle, Division of Developmental Psychiatry, Psychotic and Geriatric Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
psychological aspects of illnesspsychosocial factors in the etiology of illnesseshealth attitudes and behaviorincluding prevention and promotion
ABSTRACT
Background:
As a severe and prolonged stressor, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to development or exacerbation of mental disorders. For substance use disorder, the link between stress and alcohol consumption is well established. However, there have been conflicting findings in the context of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to characterize the group of high-risk alcohol consumers in terms of perceived stress and potential stressors during the third wave of the pandemic.
Participants and procedure:
Adult Polish men (N = 295) from the Tricity metropolitan area participated in the study. They were subdivided into high-risk (n = 104) and low-risk (n = 191) alcohol consumers based on their self-reported weekly alcohol consumption. A demograph-ic survey (including COVID-19 vaccination status), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and an original questionnaire meas-uring causes of concern were used.
Results:
Overall PSS-10 results did not differ significantly between high-risk and low-risk alcohol consumers (18.40, 17.50, respec-tively, p = .185). However, the percentage distribution of perceived stress showed lower incidence of low and high levels of stress in high-risk than in low-risk alcohol consumers (9.6%, 2.9% vs. 25.7%, 6.8%, p = .001). High-risk alcohol consumers reported no pandemic-related worries more often than low-risk consumers (46.2% vs. 5.2%, p < .001), but at the same time 67.3% of them named at least one pandemic-related stressor. High-risk alcohol consumers also showed less concern about the situation on the labor market (19.2% vs. 29.3%, p < .001). Limited access to medical services and other people’s attitudes to the pandemic were common stressors in both groups, with high-risk alcohol consumers showing more indifference to the latter.
Conclusions:
High-risk and low-risk alcohol consumers have been clearly impacted by pandemic-related factors. The protective effect of alcohol is debatable, given the high prevalence of medium and high stress levels among high-risk alcohol consumers. It appears that the pandemic and associated restrictions posed such a significant risk for distress escalation that they re-mained unrelated to the pattern of alcohol consumption or its alteration.
As a severe and prolonged stressor, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to development or exacerbation of mental disorders. For substance use disorder, the link between stress and alcohol consumption is well established. However, there have been conflicting findings in the context of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to characterize the group of high-risk alcohol consumers in terms of perceived stress and potential stressors during the third wave of the pandemic.
Participants and procedure:
Adult Polish men (N = 295) from the Tricity metropolitan area participated in the study. They were subdivided into high-risk (n = 104) and low-risk (n = 191) alcohol consumers based on their self-reported weekly alcohol consumption. A demograph-ic survey (including COVID-19 vaccination status), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and an original questionnaire meas-uring causes of concern were used.
Results:
Overall PSS-10 results did not differ significantly between high-risk and low-risk alcohol consumers (18.40, 17.50, respec-tively, p = .185). However, the percentage distribution of perceived stress showed lower incidence of low and high levels of stress in high-risk than in low-risk alcohol consumers (9.6%, 2.9% vs. 25.7%, 6.8%, p = .001). High-risk alcohol consumers reported no pandemic-related worries more often than low-risk consumers (46.2% vs. 5.2%, p < .001), but at the same time 67.3% of them named at least one pandemic-related stressor. High-risk alcohol consumers also showed less concern about the situation on the labor market (19.2% vs. 29.3%, p < .001). Limited access to medical services and other people’s attitudes to the pandemic were common stressors in both groups, with high-risk alcohol consumers showing more indifference to the latter.
Conclusions:
High-risk and low-risk alcohol consumers have been clearly impacted by pandemic-related factors. The protective effect of alcohol is debatable, given the high prevalence of medium and high stress levels among high-risk alcohol consumers. It appears that the pandemic and associated restrictions posed such a significant risk for distress escalation that they re-mained unrelated to the pattern of alcohol consumption or its alteration.
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