Multiple substance misuse, physical activity, and sport-participation; analysis of the association among university students in post-pandemic period

Oral Presentation

Abstract

Background: Multiple substance misuse (MSM); which includes simultaneous alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking is serious health threatening behavior. COVID-19 pandemic induced negative changes in MSM, and decrease of physical activity (PA), and sports participation (SP).

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations which may exist between MSM, PA and SP in University students in the first year following COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Participants were university-level students (n = 611; 45% females; 19-22 years of age) from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, who were tested on sociodemographic factors, SP, PA (predictors) and MSM (criterion) at the beginning of the 2021/22 academic year (first post-pandemic year). Logistic regressions for binomized criterion (MSM use vs. MSM non-use) were calculated to evaluate the associations between predictors and criterion. Differences between participating countries, and genders were also evaluated.

Results: Results showed higher prevalence of MSM in males (OR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.23-2.11). Logistic regression evidenced significant association between PA and MSM, with lower prevalence of MSM in those students who had higher PA (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 1.22-1.67). However, gender stratified analyses showed that protective effects higher PA against MSM were characteristic only for females (OR: 1.55, 95%CI: 1.11- 2.01), with no significant association in males (OR: 1.23, 95%CI: 0.90-1.66). No association between sport participation and MSM were evidenced.

Conclusion: Our findings are encouraging with regard to potential protective effects of higher PA against MSM in female students. This is particularly important knowing that we studied vulnerable population (considering the stress imposed on them), and the fact that we observed them in the specific period (first year after COVID-19 pandemic). Further studies should continuously monitor eventual changes in the associations between studied variables in forthcoming years.