Harmful Alcohol Consumption After the COVID Pandemic: A Problem Still Unsolved
A recent study points out that the increase in alcohol consumption observed during the COVID-19 pandemic persisted into 2022, highlighting possible long-lasting effects related to stress and behavioral changes.
Harmful alcohol consumption is one of the leading preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and many other countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in alcohol consumption associated with stress and a rise in alcohol-related deaths were recorded. Previous studies have documented these impacts, but there was, and still is, a need to assess whether the patterns of increased consumption persisted after the pandemic. Additionally, analyzing trends among subpopulations can guide public policies and health initiatives to reduce alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.
A recent study (1), published in November 2024, aimed to determine whether the increase in alcohol consumption observed during the pandemic (2020, compared to 2018) was maintained in 2022, after the most severe pandemic period. To this end, cross-sectional data from adults (≥18 years) participating in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) between 2018 and 2022 were used. This nationally representative survey uses complex sampling to reflect the U.S. population—24,965 participants in 2018, 30,829 in 2020, and 26,806 in 2022. It is worth highlighting that the main outcomes evaluated were alcohol consumption in the past year and excessive consumption, defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as five or more drinks on a day (or ≥15 drinks per week) for men and four or more drinks on a day (or ≥8 drinks per week) for women.
The main finding of the study was that alcohol consumption increased both in 2020 and in 2022 compared to 2018. Looking at alcohol consumption in the past year, there was an increase of 2.69% in 2020 and 2.96% in 2022. For excessive consumption, there was an increase of 1.03% in 2020 and 1.18% in 2022. These increases were observed across most population groups, except among Native Americans and Asians.
The results suggest that the increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic was not temporary, but remained high and continued to grow in 2022. This may be related, according to the study’s authors, to the prolonged stress caused by the pandemic, the persistence of changes in people’s habits, and difficulties accessing healthcare services during this period. Despite some limitations, such as the exclusion of military or institutionalized populations and potential inaccuracies in participants' responses, the data provides a clear insight into a public health issue. The study reinforces the need to closely monitor alcohol consumption patterns and their impacts.
Finally, it can be concluded that the increase in alcohol consumption during and after the COVID-19 pandemic represents a serious issue that requires attention. It is necessary to expand access to screening services to identify harmful consumption, improve psychological support within healthcare systems, and promote community actions to assist the most vulnerable individuals. These measures can help reduce the public health impacts associated with the rise in alcohol consumption since the pandemic—a still unresolved problem.
References
- Divya Ayyala-Somayajula, Jennifer L. Dodge, Adam M. Leventhal, et al. Trends in Alcohol Use After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Cross-Sectional Study. Ann Intern Med. [Epub 12 November 2024]. doi:10.7326/ANNALS-24-02157