The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increase in stress-related alcohol use alcohol-related deathsand new research suggests the drinking didn’t stop when things returned to normal.
In the study, published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers found that the increase in alcohol consumption between 2018 and 2020 continued into 2022.
The population survey used data from adults aged 18 and over who participated in the National Health Interview Survey between 2018 and 2022. The survey, which used complex samples, was nationally representative and had more than 20,000 respondents annually.
“Potential causes of this continued increase include normalization and adaptation to increased alcohol consumption due to stress from the pandemic and disrupted access to medical services,” the authors wrote.
Regardless of the cause, the findings highlight an “alarming public health problem,” the authors note, as alcohol is a leading cause of illness and death in the United States.
Dr. Divya Ayyala, of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, told CBS News that more and more patients are coming in with alcohol-related health problems, such as severe liver disease.
“Originally, the increase in alcohol consumption was due to social isolation, disruption and daily activities and a general lack of accessibility to healthcare and mental health care during a very stressful time,” Ayyala said. “However, we see these trends continuing, which means people don’t know where to get help (or) they don’t know they need help.”
