Perceptions of individuals in treatment for substance use disorder during COVID-19: insight on mental health, sobriety, access to treatment, and telehealth

Patterns & Predictors of Telehealth Utilization Among Individuals Who Use Substances: Implications for the Future of Virtual Behavioral Health Services

Telehealth dramatically expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there remains a dearth of literature examining how this service modality is utilized by individuals who use substances. This study examined patterns of telehealth use and individual level sources of variation among clients receiving counseling in an outpatient substance use clinic in early 2021 (n = 370). Univariate statistics described the percentage of counseling visits delivered via telehealth. OLS regression explored individual level demographic and clinical characteristics that predicted greater telehealth utilization. Overall, more than two thirds (86%) of counseling visits were conducted via telehealth. Individuals with unstable housing or with a co-occurring serious mental illness used less telehealth. Findings suggest that while telehealth appears to be an acceptable way to deliver substance use counseling, patterns varied among vulnerable subgroups. As telehealth becomes further integrated into behavioral health services delivery, it is critical to uncover sources of this variation and identify potential solutions.

Addiction in the time of COVID-19: Longitudinal course of substance use, psychological distress, and loneliness among a transnational Tyrolean sample with substance use disorders

INTRODUCTION

Next to an increased use of alcohol, the current pandemic has been associated with increased psychological distress among the general population. Research on its effects on individuals suffering from substance use disorders (SUD) is scarce. This study aimed at expanding the existing literature on this topic with a focus on the impact of loneliness and perceived social support.

METHODS

Sixty-eight people diagnosed with SUD according to ICD-10 from the Austrian state of Tyrol and from the Italian Province of South Tyrol who had been treated in a psychiatric hospital in 2019 and one hundred and thirty-six matched reference subjects of the same regional background participated in an online survey. Sociodemographic variables and scores on the Brief Symptom Checklist, the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were collected at baseline and 5 months thereafter. Baseline took place after the first wave, while follow-up largely coincided with the second wave of the pandemic.

RESULTS

Among both patients and the matched reference group, substance use as a means to feel better facing the pandemic rose and predicted higher levels of psychological distress. Patients were less likely to receive specific care at follow-up than at baseline and presented with a significantly higher prevalence of clinically relevant psychological distress and loneliness than the matched reference group at both assessment times. Among both groups, psychological burden remained unchanged over time. Perceived social support was generally significantly higher in the matched reference group than in patients. Loneliness and, to a lesser degree, low perceived social support predicted psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

These findings emphasize the need of preventive and educational measures regarding substance use behavior for both individuals suffering from SUD and those without mental health disorders.