1
|
King L, Hayashi K, Genberg B, Choi J, DeBeck K, Kirk G, Mehta SH, Kipke M, Moore RD, Baum MK, Shoptaw S, Gorbach PM, Mustanski B, Javanbakht M, Siminski S, Milloy MJ. Prevalence and correlates of stocking up on drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic: Data from the C3PNO Consortium. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 241:109654. [PMID: 36266158 PMCID: PMC9535877 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data from the COVID-19 pandemic describes increases in drug use and related harms, especially fatal overdose. However, evidence is needed to better understand the pathways from pandemic-related factors to substance use behaviours. Thus, we investigated stockpiling drugs among people who use drugs (PWUD) in five cities in the United States and Canada. METHODS We used data from two waves of interviews among participants in nine prospective cohorts to estimate the prevalence and correlates of stockpiling drugs in the previous month. Longitudinal correlates were identified using bivariate and multivariate generalized linear mixed-effects modeling analyses. RESULTS From May 2020 to February 2021, we recruited 1873 individuals who completed 2242 interviews, of whom 217 (11.6%) reported stockpiling drugs in the last month at baseline. In the multivariate model, stockpiling drugs was significantly and positively associated with reporting being greatly impacted by COVID-19 (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]= 1.21, 95% CI: 1.09-1.45), and at least daily use of methamphetamine (AOR = 4.67, 95% CI: 2.75-7.94) in the past month. CONCLUSIONS We observed that approximately one-in-ten participants reported stocking up on drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This behaviour was associated with important drug-related risk factors including high-intensity methamphetamine use. While these correlations need further inquiry, it is possible that addressing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable PWUD could help limit drug stockpiling, which may lower rates of high-intensity stimulant use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L. King
- British Columbia Centre for Substance Use, 400–1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z2A9, Canada,University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, 317 - 2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z3, BC, Canada
| | - K. Hayashi
- British Columbia Centre for Substance Use, 400–1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z2A9, Canada
| | - B. Genberg
- The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - J. Choi
- British Columbia Centre for Substance Use, 400–1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z2A9, Canada
| | - K. DeBeck
- British Columbia Centre for Substance Use, 400–1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z2A9, Canada,Simon Fraser University School of Public Policy, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
| | - G. Kirk
- The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - SH Mehta
- The John Hopkins University, Department of Epidemiology, 615N Wolfe Dr, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - M. Kipke
- University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Ave, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - RD Moore
- The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - MK Baum
- Florida International University, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, 1250 SW 108th Ave, Miami, FL, United States
| | - S. Shoptaw
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Family Medicine, 100 Medical Plaza Driveway, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - PM Gorbach
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Epidemiology, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - B. Mustanski
- Northwestern University, Department of Medical Social Sciences, 625N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - M. Javanbakht
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Epidemiology, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - S. Siminski
- Frontier Science Foundation, 4033 Maple Road, Amherst, NY, United States
| | - M-J Milloy
- British Columbia Centre for Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z2A9, Canada; University of British Columbia, Department of Medicine, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 1M9.
| |
Collapse
|