Has the pandemic changed our drinking habits?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-05-31 03:00

Australia; New Zealand; International; NSW; VIC; QLD

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Adult men and those aged 35 or over were most likely to increase their alcohol consumption during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Australian and international researchers who analysed survey data on alcohol consumption across the UK, NZ and Australia. The team categorised survey respondents into six categories; those who mostly drink alone (32.3%), with their household (36.0%), alone and with their household (17.9%), at parties (3.2%) and everywhere (1.1%). They say those who mostly drink alone reported high levels of alcohol consumption, while more social drinkers, younger people and women were likely to reduce their alcohol consumption in early 2020.

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Research Wiley, Web page

Journal/
conference: Drug and Alcohol Review

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of Queensland, RMIT University, The University of New South Wales

Funder: Cheneal Puljevic was supported by a Research Support Package Postdoctoral Researcher Fellowship from The University of Queensland. Tom R. Strating was supported by a Summer Research Program Scholarship from The University of Queensland. No other funding to declare.

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