EXAMINING BEHAVIORAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC HEALTH BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AMONG NON-TREATMENT-SEEKING VETERANS
Keck School of Medicine COVID-19 Research Funding and Supplement to NIAAA R01 AA026575 (PI Pedersen)
The primary objective of this proposed mixed-methods research study is to leverage our existing sample of veterans in the community outside of the VA to examine changes in substance use, mental health, and social and economic health. We propose to survey and interview participants for two year after their initial survey, with six follow-up surveys and two sets of qualitative interviews to learn more about how the pandemic has affected veterans outside of VA settings. Findings from this study can answer essential questions to better serve veterans, such as how COVID-19 has influenced substance use, how veterans screening positive for mental health disorders have managed during the pandemic, and how changes in social and economic health, such as changes in relationships, job loss, loneliness, and perceived stress, have influenced changes in substance use and mental health symptoms over time. Our sample is unique as we have recruited veterans who may need care, but are not currently receiving it (82% had not been to mental health care in the past six months) and we will have data from a time point just before the pandemic and through one year following.