Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England
Abstract Background Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 health care delivery underwent considerable changes. It is unclear how this may have affected the delivery of Brief Interventions (BIs) for smoking and alcohol. We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rece...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17559-7 |
| _version_ | 1797362806030336000 |
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| author | Loren Kock Lion Shahab Claire Garnett Melissa Oldham Harry Tattan-Birch Colin Angus Leonie Brose Jamie Brown |
| author_facet | Loren Kock Lion Shahab Claire Garnett Melissa Oldham Harry Tattan-Birch Colin Angus Leonie Brose Jamie Brown |
| author_sort | Loren Kock |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 health care delivery underwent considerable changes. It is unclear how this may have affected the delivery of Brief Interventions (BIs) for smoking and alcohol. We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the receipt of BIs for smoking and alcohol in primary care in England and whether certain priority groups (e.g., less advantaged socioeconomic positions, or a history of a mental health condition) were differentially affected. Methods We used nationally representative data from a monthly cross-sectional survey in England between 03/2014 and 06/2022. Monthly trends in the receipt of BIs for smoking and alcohol were examined using generalised additive models among adults who smoked in the past-year (weighted N = 31,390) and those using alcohol at increasing and higher risk levels (AUDIT score 38, weighted N = 22,386), respectively. Interactions were tested between social grade and the change in slope after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and results reported stratified by social grade. Further logistic regression models assessed whether changes in the of receipt of BIs for smoking and alcohol, respectively, from 12/2016 to 01/2017 and 10/2020 to 06/2022 (or 03/2022 in the case of BIs for alcohol), depended on history of a mental health condition. Results The receipt of smoking BIs declined from an average prevalence of 31.8% (95%CI 29.4–35.0) pre-March 2020 to 24.4% (95%CI 23.5–25.4) post-March 2020. The best-fitting model found that after March 2020 there was a 12-month decline before stabilising by June 2022 in social grade ABC1 at a lower level (~ 20%) and rebounding among social grade C2DE (~ 27%). Receipt of BIs for alcohol was low (overall: 4.1%, 95%CI 3.9–4.4) and the prevalence was similar pre- and post-March 2020. Conclusions The receipt of BIs for smoking declined following March 2020 but rebounded among priority socioeconomic groups of people who smoked. BIs for alcohol among those who use alcohol at increasing and higher risk levels were low and there was no appreciable change over time. Maintaining higher BI delivery among socioeconomic and mental health priority groups of smokers and increasing and higher risk alcohol users is important to support reductions in smoking and alcohol related inequalities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:12:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce0ee4a86b3748eea8d1543dcf779aa2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:12:44Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce0ee4a86b3748eea8d1543dcf779aa22024-01-07T12:52:03ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582024-01-0124111410.1186/s12889-023-17559-7Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in EnglandLoren Kock0Lion Shahab1Claire Garnett2Melissa Oldham3Harry Tattan-Birch4Colin Angus5Leonie Brose6Jamie Brown7Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College LondonDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College LondonDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College LondonDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College LondonDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College LondonSPECTRUM Research ConsortiumInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College LondonDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College LondonAbstract Background Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 health care delivery underwent considerable changes. It is unclear how this may have affected the delivery of Brief Interventions (BIs) for smoking and alcohol. We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the receipt of BIs for smoking and alcohol in primary care in England and whether certain priority groups (e.g., less advantaged socioeconomic positions, or a history of a mental health condition) were differentially affected. Methods We used nationally representative data from a monthly cross-sectional survey in England between 03/2014 and 06/2022. Monthly trends in the receipt of BIs for smoking and alcohol were examined using generalised additive models among adults who smoked in the past-year (weighted N = 31,390) and those using alcohol at increasing and higher risk levels (AUDIT score 38, weighted N = 22,386), respectively. Interactions were tested between social grade and the change in slope after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and results reported stratified by social grade. Further logistic regression models assessed whether changes in the of receipt of BIs for smoking and alcohol, respectively, from 12/2016 to 01/2017 and 10/2020 to 06/2022 (or 03/2022 in the case of BIs for alcohol), depended on history of a mental health condition. Results The receipt of smoking BIs declined from an average prevalence of 31.8% (95%CI 29.4–35.0) pre-March 2020 to 24.4% (95%CI 23.5–25.4) post-March 2020. The best-fitting model found that after March 2020 there was a 12-month decline before stabilising by June 2022 in social grade ABC1 at a lower level (~ 20%) and rebounding among social grade C2DE (~ 27%). Receipt of BIs for alcohol was low (overall: 4.1%, 95%CI 3.9–4.4) and the prevalence was similar pre- and post-March 2020. Conclusions The receipt of BIs for smoking declined following March 2020 but rebounded among priority socioeconomic groups of people who smoked. BIs for alcohol among those who use alcohol at increasing and higher risk levels were low and there was no appreciable change over time. Maintaining higher BI delivery among socioeconomic and mental health priority groups of smokers and increasing and higher risk alcohol users is important to support reductions in smoking and alcohol related inequalities.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17559-7Brief interventionsSmokingAlcoholCOVID-19General practice |
| spellingShingle | Loren Kock Lion Shahab Claire Garnett Melissa Oldham Harry Tattan-Birch Colin Angus Leonie Brose Jamie Brown Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England BMC Public Health Brief interventions Smoking Alcohol COVID-19 General practice |
| title | Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England |
| title_full | Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England |
| title_fullStr | Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England |
| title_short | Brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a population survey in England |
| title_sort | brief interventions for smoking and alcohol associated with the covid 19 pandemic a population survey in england |
| topic | Brief interventions Smoking Alcohol COVID-19 General practice |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17559-7 |
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