This study found that during May-June, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, surveyed young Australians reduced alcohol by 17% and alcohol harms reduced by 35%.

COVID-19 restrictions led to reduction of alcohol use in this group. The findings can advice future alcohol policy decisions in preventing youth alcohol use.

Author

Philip J. Clare (email: philip.clare@sydney.edu.au), Alexandra Aiken, Wing See Yuen, Emily Upton, Kypros Kypri, Louisa Degenhardt, Raimondo Bruno, Jim McCambridge, Nyanda McBride, Delyse Hutchinson, Tim Slade, Richard Mattick and Amy Peacock

Citation

Clare, P. J., Aiken, A., Yuen, W. S., Upton, E., Kypri, K., Degenhardt, L., Bruno, R., McCambridge, J., McBride, N., Hutchinson, D., Slade, T., Mattick, R., and Peacock, A. (2021) Alcohol use among young Australian adults in May–June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study. Addiction, https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15599


Source
Addiction
Release date
09/06/2021

Alcohol Use Among Young Australian Adults in May–June 2020 During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Aims

To estimate change in young people’s alcohol consumption during COVID-19 restrictions in Australia in early-mid 2020, and test whether those changes were consistent by gender and level of consumption prior to the pandemic.

Design

Prospective longitudinal cohort.

Setting

Secondary schools in New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Participants

Subsample of a cohort (n = 443) recruited in the first year of secondary school in 2010–11. Analysis data included three waves collected in September 2017–July 2018, September 2018–May 2019 and August 2019–January 2020, and in May–June 2020.

Measurements

The primary predictors were time, gender and level of consumption prior to the pandemic. Outcome variables, analyzed by mixed-effects models, included frequency and typical quantity of alcohol consumption, binge alcohol use, peak consumption, alcohol-related harm and alcohol using contexts.

Findings

Overall consumption (frequency × quantity) during the restrictions declined by 17% [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.73, 0.95] compared to February 2020, and there was a 35% decline in the rate of alcohol-related harms in the same period (IRR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.54, 0.79). Changes in alcohol consumption were largely consistent by gender.

Conclusions

From a survey of secondary school students in Australia, there is evidence for a reduction in overall consumption and related harms during the COVID-19 restrictions.


Source Website: Wiley Online Library