Association Between Co-Occurring Anxiety and Depression With Drug Overdose Encounters in the Emergency Department Among Adolescents and Young Adults in the Era of COVID-19.

Purpose: COVID-19 risk mitigation efforts could have negatively impacted anxiety, depression, and substance use among adolescents and young adults.

Methods: We analyzed 45,223 emergency department visits from April 2018 to March 2022 of patients aged 12-21 in Pinellas County, Florida.

Results: Frequency of overdose, anxiety, and depression significantly increased from the pre-COVID-19 to the COVID-19 period. Anxiety (adjusted odds ratio: 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.98) and depression (adjusted odds ratio: 2.89, 95% confidence interval: 2.15, 3.88) were associated with significantly higher odds of overdose during COVID-19.

Discussion: Mental health and overdose among adolescents and young adults worsened during COVID-19, necessitating greater screening and treatment in primary care.