Adult Alcohol Use Has Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Results from an online survey indicate that alcohol use increased, particularly in non-Hispanic whites and women.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative impacts on mental health and use of addictive substances across the globe, with increases in both U.S. in-store and online sales of alcohol in March and April compared with 2019 (Nielsen Insights May 7 2020. These researchers examined two surveys performed April 29–June 9, 2019, and May 28–June 16, 2020, in a probability-sampled panel of English- or Spanish-speaking adults aged 30 to 80. Of those invited to the survey in 2019, 1540 completed the 2020 survey (59%; mean age, 57; 57% women; 71% non-Hispanic white, 10% Black, and 14% Hispanic).

The frequency of alcohol use increased by 0.74 days (14%) over the 2019 baseline of 5.48 days per week. Several subgroups showed significant increases: women (0.78 d…

Reviewing Author

Claire Wilcox, MD

Disclosures

EquityMannkind Corporation

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Claire Wilcox, MD

Disclosures

EquityMannkind Corporation

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Adult Alcohol Use Has Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Topics

Reviewing Author