Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

The Association Between Loneliness With Increased Mental Health Problems And Substance Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Richmond, Virginia, Angela C. Liu, Connor Cox, Mariam Sankoh, James Clifford, Courtney T. Blondino, Chanel Bea, Chimere Miles, Kim Young, Sherika Gillison-Chew, John Richardson-Lauve, Candice Turner, Elizabeth Prom-Wormley

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant psychological distress among U.S. adults leading to increased rates of adverse mental health symptoms and substance use. This study aims to evaluate the consistency of the association between loneliness and increased mental health problems and substance use in Richmond, VA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods. Data were collected in two phases: 1) internet-based surveys from August 2020 to March 2021 (N=327) and 2) paper-pencil surveys from May to October 2021 (N=225). Logistic regression was used to test the association between loneliness and increased mental health and substance use, while adjusting for sociodemographic factors and …

Social Media Use And Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Health Behaviors, Knowledge, And Mental Health Among University Of Nevada, Reno Students, Molly M. Hagen, Sarah Y.T. Hartzell, Paul G. Devereux

Health Behavior Research

Reliance on social media for health information is widespread, yet impacts of social media use (SMU) on health behaviors during infectious disease pandemics are poorly understood. We used a random sample from a university student directory to invite students to take a cross-sectional online survey during the coronavirus pandemic. Survey questions assessed adherence to public health guidelines, knowledge of COVID-19/SARS-CoV2, and mental health symptoms. Students were classified based on their level of SMU for information on COVID-19 as: (1) none, (2) some use, or (3) main source. Weighted regressions were used to relate SMU to adherence (five-point scale) and knowledge …