Dataset Information

Cross-Sectional Retrospective Assessments versus Longitudinal Prospective Assessments of Substance Use Change among Young Adults during COVID-19: Magnitude and Correlates of Discordant Findings.

ABSTRACT: Significance: Findings regarding changes in substance use since COVID-19 have been mixed, potentially due to differences in methods used to assess change. Thus, we compared changes in substance use per retrospective self-report at one time-point (March-May 2020) versus prospective, longitudinal self-report across 2 time-points (Sept-Dec 2019; March-May 2020), and identified predictors of discordance. Methods: We analyzed data from a longitudinal study of 1,082 young adults from 6 metropolitan areas. Across cigarettes, e-cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol, participants were categorized as Increasers (increased based on both methods), Decreasers/Stable (decreased/same per both methods), Over-reporters (decreased/same per longitudinal data/increased via retrospective report), or Under-reporters (increased per longitudinal data/decreased/same via retrospective report). We identified predictors (e.g., sociodemographics, pre-pandemic substance use levels) of Under-reporting. Results: In this sample (M_age=24.77; 45.7% male, 32.1% sexual minority, 4.0% Black, 12.4% Asian, 12.6% Hispanic), longitudinal data indicated that the proportions of cigarette, e-cigarette, marijuana, and alcohol users who increased their use were 43.3%, 41.7%, 52.6%, and 55.6%, respectively. Examining concordance/discordance groups, Under-reporters accounted for between 17.7% (alcohol) and 26.8% (e-cigarette) of users; over-reporters comprised among the smallest proportions of each group (17.4% for alcohol to 22.2% for marijuana). Multivariable regression indicated that predictors of Under-reporting were less pre-pandemic use across substances; being older for e-cigarettes; and being older, male, and Asian for alcohol. Conclusions: Findings highlight methodological variability as a potential reason for mixed findings regarding pandemic-related substance use change and underscore the need for rigorously designed research to accurately assess the population impact of COVID-19 and other historical events.

SUBMITTER: Romm KF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9099360 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cross-Sectional Retrospective Assessments versus Longitudinal Prospective Assessments of Substance Use Change among Young Adults during COVID-19: Magnitude and Correlates of Discordant Findings.

Romm Katelyn F KF Patterson Brooke B Arem Hannah H Price Olga Acosta OA Wang Yan Y Berg Carla J CJ

Substance use & misuse 20211210 3

<i>Significance</i>: Findings regarding changes in substance use since COVID-19 have been mixed, potentially due to differences in methods used to assess change. Thus, we compared changes in substance use per retrospective self-report at one time-point (March-May 2020) versus prospective, longitudinal self-report across 2 time-points (Sept-Dec 2019; March-May 2020), and identified predictors of discordance. <i>Methods:</i> We analyzed data from a longitudinal study of 1,082 young adults from 6 m ...[more]

PMID: 34889710

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Project description:Background: We seek to understand correlates of chronic stress and their influence on the development of substance use in a population-based cohort of young adults (OYSUP). Methodology: We evaluated clinical features, salivary RNA metrics and differential expression of candidate genes in unfractionated saliva samples from 48 individuals (31% female, 55% ever-smoking) randomly selected from two groups stratified by high versus low severe negative life events and difficulties within the last year as as measured by the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS, Brown & Harris, 1978). We used multiple analytical platforms, multiple reference genes and 18 replicates of all gene expression assays (assays). We chose 38 candidate genes previously identified as differentially expressed in a genome-wide scan of monocyte RNA in 11 familial caregivers of glioblastoma multiforme patients and 10 control subjects matched on age (middle-aged), gender (57% female), ethnicity and marital status and free of major stressors during the previous year. Principal Findings: We observed significant differences in smoking prevalence (Pearson’s ?22d.f.=4.5, P=0.035) and RNA integrity score (t=2.12, P=0.039) between stress strata. We analyzed quantitative PCR data using both the comparative standard curve (CSC) and relative standard curve (RSC) methods because 34% of assays had efficiency estimates <90%. Assay data exhibited excellent linearity and low variability. We observed significant under expression of five assays in the high stress stratum using both methods, four of which interrogate glucocorticoid receptor regulated genes. Post-hoc analyses identified significant associations of RNA yield, integrity score, gender, ever-smoking and/or stress with results of normalized gene expression in 22/37 assays. IL8 expression remained significantly associated with chronic stress after adjustment for clinical and salivary RNA variables. Salivary IL8 expression has been previously associated with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer. Conclusions: A gene expression signature of chronic stress previously observed in adult hematopoietic samples is observed in the unfractionated saliva of young adults. Future investigation will need to analyze associated clinical, metabolic, meta-genomic, and proteomic components of unfractionated saliva to elucidate factors influencing the salivary transcriptome. Gene expression was performed on a Fluidigm 48 x 48 array on 48 individuals for 38 target genes and 6 possible reference genes (represented by 9 reference assays) in triplicate. Quantitative Q-PCR datas were normalized according to relative levels of four reference genes (CDKN1B, YWHAZ, RPL13A, and UBC).

Project description:Background: We seek to understand correlates of chronic stress and their influence on the development of substance use in a population-based cohort of young adults (OYSUP). Methodology: We evaluated clinical features, salivary RNA metrics and differential expression of candidate genes in unfractionated saliva samples from 48 individuals (31% female, 55% ever-smoking) randomly selected from two groups stratified by high versus low severe negative life events and difficulties within the last year as as measured by the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS, Brown & Harris, 1978). We used multiple analytical platforms, multiple reference genes and 18 replicates of all gene expression assays (assays). We chose 38 candidate genes previously identified as differentially expressed in a genome-wide scan of monocyte RNA in 11 familial caregivers of glioblastoma multiforme patients and 10 control subjects matched on age (middle-aged), gender (57% female), ethnicity and marital status and free of major stressors during the previous year. Principal Findings: We observed significant differences in smoking prevalence (Pearson’s χ22d.f.=4.5, P=0.035) and RNA integrity score (t=2.12, P=0.039) between stress strata. We analyzed quantitative PCR data using both the comparative standard curve (CSC) and relative standard curve (RSC) methods because 34% of assays had efficiency estimates <90%. Assay data exhibited excellent linearity and low variability. We observed significant under expression of five assays in the high stress stratum using both methods, four of which interrogate glucocorticoid receptor regulated genes. Post-hoc analyses identified significant associations of RNA yield, integrity score, gender, ever-smoking and/or stress with results of normalized gene expression in 22/37 assays. IL8 expression remained significantly associated with chronic stress after adjustment for clinical and salivary RNA variables. Salivary IL8 expression has been previously associated with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer. Conclusions: A gene expression signature of chronic stress previously observed in adult hematopoietic samples is observed in the unfractionated saliva of young adults. Future investigation will need to analyze associated clinical, metabolic, meta-genomic, and proteomic components of unfractionated saliva to elucidate factors influencing the salivary transcriptome.

Dataset Information

Cross-Sectional Retrospective Assessments versus Longitudinal Prospective Assessments of Substance Use Change among Young Adults during COVID-19: Magnitude and Correlates of Discordant Findings.

Publications

Cross-Sectional Retrospective Assessments versus Longitudinal Prospective Assessments of Substance Use Change among Young Adults during COVID-19: Magnitude and Correlates of Discordant Findings.

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