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TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There has been an increase in the frequency of alcohol consumption from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a research letter published online Sept. 29 in JAMA Network Open<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Michael S. Pollard, Ph.D., from RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California, and colleagues examined changes in alcohol use and associated consequences in U.S. adults from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were included from 1,540 adults who completed a survey in April 29 to June 9, 2019, and in May 28 to June 16, 2020.<\/p>\n
The researchers observed an increase in the frequency of alcohol consumption overall (0.74 days, representing a 14 percent increase over the baseline of 5.48 days). They also observed an increase among women (0.78 days, representing a 17 percent increase over the baseline of 4.58 days); among adults aged 30 to 59 years (0.93 days, representing a 19 percent increase over the baseline of 4.98 days); and for non-Hispanic Whites (0.66 days, representing a 10 percent increase over the baseline of 6.46 days). On average, three of four adults consumed alcohol one day more per month. For women, the investigators observed a significant increase of 0.18 days of heavy drinking, representing a 41 percent increase from baseline of 0.44 days. There was an average increase of 0.09 noted in the Short Inventory of Problems scale for women.<\/p>\n
“This information suggests another way that the pandemic may be affecting the physical and mental health of Americans,” Pollard said in a statement.<\/p>\n