The Effects of Economic Deterioration Due to COVID-19 to Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption Behaviors of Adolescents in South Korea: A Nationwide Analysis

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly impacted health, culture, and the economy. Although it has had little direct effect on children and adolescents, its indirect effect on them has been significant. In this study, we aim to evaluate the alcohol and tobacco consumption behaviors of adolescents and the economic determination of their families due to COVID-19.We collected data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is an annual cross-sectional national representative survey published by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in South Korea. We considered, in particular, the survey conducted in middle and high school students in 2020.The number of subjects was 54,948 with 28,353 male students and 26,595 female students. The drinking rate was higher in male students and female students in the group with severe economic deterioration compared to the group without deterioration (odd ratio [OR], 1.355; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.175-1.563; OR, 1.199; 95% CI, 0.987-1.457). The smoking rate was higher in male students and female students in the group with severe economic deterioration (OR, 1.435; 95% CI, 1.180-1.745; OR, 1.809; 95% CI, 1.331-2.457). The secondhand smoking rate at home was higher in male students and female students in the group with severe economic deterioration (OR, 1.397; 95% CI, 1.239-1.574; OR, 1.440; 95% CI, 1.263-1.641).The economic deterioration due to COVID-19 is a risk factor for alcohol drinking, smoking, and secondhand smoking among adolescents. Our study results suggest the need to pay more attention to youth health management in the event of sudden economic impacts.