Psychological Distress, Unmet Need for Mental Health, and Associated Simultaneous Alcohol and Cannabis Use, and Co-Occurring Disorders Among College Students

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis (SAC) use is a significant public health concern among college students. This study examined whether unmet need for mental health treatment mediates the associations between psychological distress and 1) past 30-day SAC use, and 2) past-year co-occurring alcohol and cannabis use disorders. METHODS: = 103,006,994). Psychological distress (independent variable) was measured using the Kessler-6 scale. The mediator was past-year unmet need for mental health treatment (binary). Outcome variables were binary indicators of past 30-day SAC use and past-year co-occurring alcohol and cannabis use disorders. Weighted generalized structural equation modeling was conducted to examine associations. RESULTS: s < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the relevance of mental health care access in understanding the connection between psychological distress and SAC use and co-occurring alcohol and cannabis use disorders among college students.