Journal
DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW
Volume 41, Issue 4, Pages 918-931Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/dar.13446
Keywords
alcohol; drinking; COVID-19; pandemic; Europe
Categories
Funding
- Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Instituto de Salud Carlos III [JR19/00025]
- National Institute for Health Research [NIHR 300616]
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse-Ontario Node) [CIHR SMN-13950]
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This study synthesized numerous observational studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol use changes in Europe. The findings suggest that more individuals in Europe reduced their alcohol use during the pandemic compared to those who increased it. Moreover, high-risk alcohol users showed patterns of increased or intensified drinking.
Issues Numerous studies have examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol use changes in Europe, with concerns raised regarding increased use and related harms. Approach We synthesised observational studies published between 1 January 2020 and 31 September 2021 on self-reported changes in alcohol use associated with COVID-19. Electronic databases were searched for studies evaluating individual data from European general and clinical populations. We identified 646 reports, of which 56 general population studies were suitable for random-effects meta-analyses of proportional differences in alcohol use changes. Variations by time, sub-region and study quality were assessed in subsequent meta-regressions. Additional 16 reports identified were summarised narratively. Key Findings Compiling reports measuring changes in overall alcohol use, slightly more individuals indicated a decrease than an increase in their alcohol use during the pandemic [3.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.00-7.6%]. Decreases were also reported more often than increases in drinking frequency (8.0%, 95% CI 2.7-13.2%), quantity consumed (12.2%, 95% CI 8.3-16.2%) and heavy episodic drinking (17.7%, 95% CI 13.6-21.8%). Among people with pre-existing high drinking levels/alcohol use disorder, high-level drinking patterns appear to have solidified or intensified. Implications Pandemic-related changes in alcohol use may be associated with pre-pandemic drinking levels. Increases among high-risk alcohol users are concerning, suggesting a need for ongoing monitoring and support from relevant health-care services. Conclusion Our findings suggest that more people reduced their alcohol use in Europe than increased it since the onset of the pandemic. However high-quality studies examining specific change mechanisms at the population level are lacking.
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