Resumen de Increased value of substances or decreasing alternatives? behavioral economics in the time of covid-19

Alba González Roz, Víctor Martínez Loredo, Roberto Secades Villa, Ainhoa Coloma Carmona, José Luis Carballo Crespo

• español

  COVID-19 offers a chance to test the Reinforcer Pathology (RP) model through the effects of social constraints on the motivation to use drugs. Aims. This study aimed to empirically assess the RP model in the context of a cross-sectional online survey in Spain. Method. During the strictest period of confinement (14th March-12th April 2020), 203 participants provided measures on past 30-day use of legal and illegal substances and responded to hypothetical alcohol and cigarette purchase tasks.

  Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to inform on pre- and intra-pandemic substance use patterns. Breakpoint (i.e., price at which consumption ceases), elasticity (i.e., sensitivity of demand to rises in costs) and intensity (i.e., unrestricted consumption) were used as indicators of substance use demand. Results. Past 30-day alcohol use decreased from 71.4% (145/203) to 50.7% (103/203), tobacco from 14.3% (30/203) to 12.8% (26/203), and cannabis from 8.9% (18/203) to 4.4% (9/203). Predictably, illegal substance use went from 1% (2/203) to 0%. Conclusions. Despite reductions in substance use, alcohol and tobacco reinforcement, as measured by intensity and breakpoint, slightly increased within the first month of confinement. Potentially beneficial nudges and intervention strategies are discussed from the preventive and treatment standpoint.

• English

  La COVID-19 ofrece una oportunidad para evaluar el modelo de la Patología del Refuerzo (PR) mediante el estudio de las restricciones sociales y la motivación hacia el uso de sustancias. Objetivos:

  Este estudio evaluó empíricamente el modelo de la PR en el contexto de una encuesta transversal online. Métodos: Durante el período 14 de marzo-12 de abril 2020, 203 participantes informaron del consumo de sustancias legales e ilegales en el último mes. Se analizaron los cambios en el consumo durante el confinamiento. Se utilizaron distintos indicadores de demanda de sustancias: Breakpoint (i.e., precio al que el consumo cesa), elasticidad (i.e., sensibilidad de la demanda a incrementos en el coste) e intensidad (i.e., consumo en contextos de no restricción). Resultados: El consumo de alcohol en el último mes disminuyó del 71.4% (145/203) al 50,7% (103/203), el de tabaco del 14.3% (30/203) al 12.8% (26/203), y el de cannabis del 8.9% (18/203) al 4.4% (9/203). El uso de sustancias ilegales pasó del 1% (2/203) al 0%. Conclusiones: Se observaron reducciones en el uso de sustancias y un ligero incremento en el nivel de reforzamiento (intensidad y breakpoint) asociado al uso de alcohol y tabaco. Se discuten estrategias preventivas (nudges) y de tratamiento.