Prospective changes in drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults with unhealthy alcohol use.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

This study examined differential changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults with unhealthy alcohol use.

Methods

Among 62 924 adults identified with unhealthy alcohol use in primary care prepandemic (1 January 2019 to 29 February 2020), changes in alcohol use during the pandemic (1 March 2020 to 30 June 2022) were examined using electronic health record data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Outcomes were changes in heavy drinking days in the past three months (HDDs) and overall consumption (drinks/week), including continuous and categorical measures. Differences in outcomes by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) were examined.

Results

On average, drinking was reduced by 3.0 HDDs (in the past three months) (SD =

SUBMITTER: Palzes VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11439458 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature