Examining how the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic affected alcohol use in different socio-demographic groups in an Australian representative longitudinal sample.
Alcohol consumption
Australia
COVID‐19
HILDA
longitudinal study
socio‐demographic groups
Journal
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
ISSN: 1360-0443
Titre abrégé: Addiction
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9304118
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
21 Aug 2024
21 Aug 2024
Historique:
received:
25
01
2024
accepted:
10
07
2024
medline:
21
8
2024
pubmed:
21
8
2024
entrez:
21
8
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Research examining how alcohol consumption changed across different socio-demographic groups during the pandemic has largely relied upon convenience samples recruited after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to measure whether the pandemic shifted alcohol consumption in different gender, age and income groups in Australia. This was a longitudinal study using four waves (2017-20) of the annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to compare pre-pandemic consumption (2017-19) with consumption in 2020. A total of 11 636 participants in Australia aged 15 years and older took part. Participants were asked annually about their alcohol consumption, demographics and income. There was a statistically significant increase in alcohol consumption during the first year of the pandemic [incident rate ratio (IRR) = 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1, 1.1], largely driven by changes in drinking frequency. We found a significant difference in consumption change from pre-COVID-19 to during COVID-19 for participants aged under 55 years compared with those aged over 55 years. In addition, participants aged 15-34 reported less alcohol consumption during the pandemic than those aged 35 years and older. No significant differences were identified across gender and income groups. Alcohol consumption in Australia increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey participants aged 55 years and over seemed to be the least impacted by the public health measures introduced during the pandemic, such as the closure of licensed premises.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
OBJECTIVE
Research examining how alcohol consumption changed across different socio-demographic groups during the pandemic has largely relied upon convenience samples recruited after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to measure whether the pandemic shifted alcohol consumption in different gender, age and income groups in Australia.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
METHODS
This was a longitudinal study using four waves (2017-20) of the annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to compare pre-pandemic consumption (2017-19) with consumption in 2020. A total of 11 636 participants in Australia aged 15 years and older took part.
MEASUREMENTS
METHODS
Participants were asked annually about their alcohol consumption, demographics and income.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
There was a statistically significant increase in alcohol consumption during the first year of the pandemic [incident rate ratio (IRR) = 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1, 1.1], largely driven by changes in drinking frequency. We found a significant difference in consumption change from pre-COVID-19 to during COVID-19 for participants aged under 55 years compared with those aged over 55 years. In addition, participants aged 15-34 reported less alcohol consumption during the pandemic than those aged 35 years and older. No significant differences were identified across gender and income groups.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol consumption in Australia increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey participants aged 55 years and over seemed to be the least impacted by the public health measures introduced during the pandemic, such as the closure of licensed premises.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : Australian Research Council grant
ID : FT210100656
Informations de copyright
© 2024 The Author(s). Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.
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