Alcohol use may remain alarmingly high in wake of COVID-19 pandemic

Stress-related alcohol use and alcohol-related mortality rose in 2020; however, little is understood about how these heightened rates changed in the years following the pandemic.

In a population-based study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the investigators used the cross-sectional data of respondents aged 18 years and older who participated in the 2018 to 2022 National Health Interview Survey. They then categorized the respondents on the basis of their alcohol use.

Compared with in 2018, the investigators found that alcohol use and heavy alcohol use increased among most subgroups in 2020 and in 2022. They hypothesized that certain factors may be contributing to the sustained increases in alcohol use, including normalization of alcohol dependence during periods of stress and disrupted access to medical care.

The investigators hope their findings can inform public health policy and identify potential strategies to reduce alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

Read more: Annals of Internal Medicine

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