Substance Use and Psychological Distress in Mexican Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: This observational cross-sectional study examined changes in substance use during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Mexican population and evaluated whether depression or anxiety was associated with these new consumption patterns. Methods: An online survey was distributed to the general population. Participants were questioned about their demographics, situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and substance consumption patterns. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale were used. Results: A total of 866 individuals completed the survey. The mean scores for the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale were 8.89 +/- 6.20 and 3.48 +/- 3.22, respectively. The preferred substances were alcohol (19%), tobacco (16.5%), and marijuana (5.6%). Consumption of alcohol (p = 0.042) significantly increased during the pandemic and it was higher in women than in men (p = 0.040). Conclusions: Substance use patterns were affected by the pandemic, with an increase in the number of users and consumption rate, as well as the reported psychiatric symptoms.