Alcohol Use, Drug Use, and Psychological Distress in University Students: Findings from a Canadian Campus Survey

Changes in alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 among First-Year University Students in Spain, considering the risk of problematic use - UniHcos Project

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prevalence rates and self-reported changes in patterns of alcohol use among first-year university students in Spain, considering the risk of problematic alcohol use. A serial cross-sectional study based on the uniHcos project was carried out. Data from 10,518 first-year university students (73.3% female, mean age 19 (SD=1.6)) collected between 2012 and 2022 were analysed. The evolution of the pooled prevalence rates during the time series was analysed and the risk of problematic alcohol consumption was assessed using the AUDIT. Also, self-reported changes in alcohol use patterns during the pandemic were assessed. According to the results, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of alcohol use in the past 30-days was reduced (76.3% in 2019 vs. 63.7% in COVID-19) and increased again in the New Normal period. Thus, a similar pattern in the practice of binge drinking was observed. Regarding the AUDIT score, 21.7% (95%CI 20.9, 22.6) of the students had harmful alcohol consumption, with a higher proportion among males. In the multivariable logistic models, a higher AUDIT score was significantly associated (p-value<0.001) with being male and living with roommates. According to self-reported changes in consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic, a higher proportion of participants with harmful use reported an increase in alcohol consumption compared to those at low-risk (43% vs 19%). Finally, despite the overall reduction in drinking prevalence during COVID-19, changes were not equal for all students and depended on their previous level of problematic drinking, highlighting that this should be considered in the development of strategies against alcohol use in this population.

Is the Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Mental Well-Being in University Students Linear, Curvilinear or Absent?

Background: Both alcohol consumption and mental well-being problems have been found to be prevalent in higher educated students and often have severe consequences. However, previous findings of the association between these constructs are mixed, possibly because often linear models are fitted, while some theories suggest a curvilinear association between the two concepts. Objectives: To clarify previously mixed findings, the current study compared curvilinear and linear models for the relationship between alcohol consumption and mental well-being in university students. Because of potential gender differences in this relationship, these models were explored for females and males separately. Data from the first cross-sectional online survey wave of the Healthy Student Life project including 2,631 female and 998 male students was used. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-consumption was used to measure alcohol consumption. Mental well-being was assessed by six sub-concepts (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, happiness, and self-rated mental health). Results: For females both linear (for anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-rated mental health) and curvilinear (for depression, stress, and happiness) associations were found, while for males no support for either curvilinear or linear models was found. Conclusions: Results should be interpreted with caution due to the small effect sizes in the relationships for females but may suggest that testing the curvilinear association between alcohol consumption and mental well-being is an important future endeavor.

Access and efficacy of university mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective

This study sought to understand the mental health issues, mental health support and efficacy of that support among university students.

Participants

All students enrolled in a College of Arts and Sciences at one mid-size university received an email that contained a link to an anonymous, online questionnaire developed and disseminated through PsychData. 162 students completed the questionnaire.

Methods

Mixed methods: Data was summarized using descriptive analysis, testing for significance, testing for differences, and content analysis.

Results

Participants reported high levels of anxiety (76%) and depression (65%). Results indicated that participant demographics were associated with types of mental access, and support. Unexpected results included lack of knowledge or information on cost, and how to access mental health services hindered access for participants, and although telehealth was the most widely used support, in contrast to other studies, participants indicated a preference for face-to-face mental health services.

Conclusion

Results highlight the need for improving communication about and access to mental health services in higher education Recommendations and implications for policy and support services are provided.

Impact of emotional intelligence on adherence to the Mediterranean diet in elementary education school students. A structural equation model

Background

Adolescence is one of the stages where a large number of physical, psychological and emotional changes occur, the latter playing a key role in adherence to a healthy dietary pattern. Taking into account the above, this research reflects the objectives of developing an explanatory model of the incidence of attention, clarity and emotional repair on adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to contrast the structural model through a multigroup analysis based on Mediterranean adherence to this dietary pattern.

Methods

To this end, a comparative descriptive cross-sectional study has been carried out with 293 students from the third cycle of primary education. The instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the KIDMED test and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24).

Results

Students who show low adherence to the Mediterranean diet have a negative association with the repair of negative emotions. Participants who show a medium adherence to the Mediterranean diet, it is observed that they have a negative relationship with emotional clarity, while students who claim to have a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet show positive relationships with each of the constructs that make up emotional intelligence.