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Colbert S, Thornton L, Wilkinson C, Feng X, Richmond R. 'The convenience is a double-edged sword': Qualitative interviews with people who use online alcohol delivery services. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:425-433. [PMID: 38011495 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The past decade has seen a shift towards online purchasing and home delivery of alcohol, with this trend accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research in this area is limited. This study aims to explore how and why people use online alcohol delivery services. METHODS Semi-structured qualitative interviews (mean = 12.5 min; range = 7-19.5 min) with a convenience sample of 40 Australians ≥18 years who purchase alcohol online for delivery at least once per month. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse and report the data. RESULTS Three themes were generated. (i) The convenience is a 'double-edged sword': almost all participants expressed that they use alcohol delivery services because they reduce difficulty in obtaining alcohol by saving time or energy/effort; however, for some this could lead them to purchase and consume more alcohol than they otherwise would have. (ii) Cost savings motivate online purchases: some participants expressed that they could access alcohol more cheaply online than in-store due to promotions, cost-comparisons and the ability to shop at low-cost outlets. (iii) Initiating or increasing use during the COVID-19 pandemic: for some people continued or increased use had been maintained as they had grown accustomed to the convenience or changed shopping habits. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Participants purchased alcohol online for home delivery primarily for convenience; however, for some the convenience could lead them to purchase and consume more alcohol than they otherwise would have. Targeted improvements to the regulation of these services are needed to minimise the risks they may pose for alcohol harm.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louise Thornton
- School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Claire Wilkinson
- Drug Policy Modelling Program, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Robyn Richmond
- School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Gunnerlind O, Lundqvist R, Ott M, Werneke U. Alcohol consumption under lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in three Nordic countries. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2024; 70:48-58. [PMID: 37650471 DOI: 10.1177/00207640231194486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns arose about a possible rise in alcohol consumption. Early surveys, however, more commonly pointed towards a decrease of alcohol use. But studies based on self-reports may underestimate alcohol use. They also depend on the population sampled. Because of border closures and gastronomy restrictions, countries with centralised alcohol sales provided a unique opportunity to study total domestic consumption during the pandemic without influence of private import or reliance on self-reports. AIMS We examined the correlation between alcohol sales and national COVID-19 restrictions in three such countries, Finland, Norway and Sweden. METHOD We conducted this study as a mirror image study, comparing alcohol sales during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic with the two preceding years. We explored hours of daylight/season as potential confounders. RESULTS We found no relevant change in alcohol sales during the pandemic years for Finland or Sweden. For Norway, there was a level-change in sales, which could be explained by decreased imports. Sales followed a seasonal pattern. In all three countries, the initial pandemic increase in alcohol sales coincided with an underlying annually recurring seasonal variation. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic had less of an impact on alcohol consumption in the three Nordic countries than could intuitively be expected. The increase of alcohol sales at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with a seasonal rise following a pre-pandemic pattern. Therefore, caution should be exercised with drawing conclusions from data with a short time perspective to avoid attribution bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Gunnerlind
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Sunderby Research Unit, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Robert Lundqvist
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sunderby Research Unit, Umeå University, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Michael Ott
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine - Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ursula Werneke
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Sunderby Research Unit, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Colbert S, Wilkinson C, Thornton L, Feng X, Campain A, Richmond R. Cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of Australians who use alcohol home delivery services. Drug Alcohol Rev 2023; 42:986-995. [PMID: 36853829 PMCID: PMC10947259 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Online alcohol purchasing and home delivery has increased in recent years, accelerated by the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This article aims to investigate the purchasing and drinking behaviour of Australians who use online alcohol delivery services. METHOD A cross-sectional self-report survey with a convenience sample of 1158 Australians ≥18 years (49.3% female) who used an online alcohol delivery service in the past 3 months, recruited through paid social media advertisements from September to November 2021. Quota sampling was used to obtain a sample with age and gender strata proportional to the Australian adult population. Descriptive statistics were generated and logistic regression used to explore variables that predict hazardous/harmful drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score ≥8). RESULTS One-in-five (20.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 17.8-22.5) participants had used an alcohol delivery service to extend a home drinking session because they had run out of alcohol and wanted to continue drinking and, of these, one-third (33.9%, 95% CI 27.9-40.4) indicated that if the service was not available they would have stopped drinking. Using delivery services in this way was associated with six times higher odds of drinking at hazardous/harmful levels (odds ratio 6.26, 95% CI 3.78-10.36). Participants ≤25 years were significantly more likely to report never having their identification verified when receiving their alcohol delivery at the door compared with purchasing takeaway alcohol in-person at a bottle shop (p < 0.001, McNemar). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Given the risks associated with alcohol delivery, regulation of these services should be improved to meet the same standards as bricks-and-mortar bottle shops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claire Wilkinson
- Drug Policy Modelling ProgramSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
- Centre for Alcohol Policy ResearchLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Louise Thornton
- School of Population HealthUNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance UseThe University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- School of Population HealthUNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab)University of WollongongWollongongAustralia
- The George Institute for Global HealthSydneyAustralia
| | - Anna Campain
- The George Institute for Global HealthSydneyAustralia
- Faculty of MedicineUNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
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Dupuis M, Studer J, Wicki M, Marmet S, Gmel G. Was retrospective change measurement conducted with Covid-19 containment inconsistent? Comparing prospective and retrospective change measures using data from a national survey on substance use and addictive behaviors. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286597. [PMID: 37267260 PMCID: PMC10237494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-measurement-point data collection to assess change has increased with studies assessing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and of its containment, despite evidence of its lack of validity. Retrospective change is not equivalent to change in repeated self-reported measures giving raise to questions about the validity of the former. This paper purports to investigate inconsistencies between change measures by confronting retrospective change to information from longitudinally self-reported measures from the C-SURF cohort study. The study sample consists of 2,279 young men who participated in C-SURF between 2020 and 2021, and completed between May and June 2021 a survey covering change in alcohol, cigarette, cannabis and other addictive behaviors related to the pandemic. The aforementioned behaviors were assessed longitudinally at two time points using self-reports, and retrospective change since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis was also assessed at the second measurement time. Information from both prospective and retrospective change measures were confronted to identify inconsistent information for each behavior. Additionally, multiple logistic regressions were performed to assess associations between socioeconomic status, impulsivity, depression, and different indicators of motivation to complete the study and inconsistency between both measures for each behavior of interest. Importantly, inconsistent information in at least one of the investigated behaviors was found in about 90% of the participants. Small associations were found between inconsistency and different factors with a consistent effect of impulsivity. In the absence of evidence of the validity of retrospective change measures, studies relying on retrospective change should be interpreted with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Dupuis
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Studer
- Service of Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Service of Adult Psychiatry North-West, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Wicki
- Institute for Research, Development and Evaluation, Bern University of Teacher Education, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simon Marmet
- School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Olten, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Gmel
- Service of Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Addiction Switzerland, Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, United Kingdom
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Finstad J, Clausen T, Rosseland LA, Røise O, Havnes IA. Patient Experiences after Physical Trauma: The Negative Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Recovery. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12258. [PMID: 36231553 PMCID: PMC9566588 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic generated a crisis within the healthcare system, during which acute, COVID-19-related health needs were prioritized over less urgent needs, including vulnerable subgroups. This study explored experiences of recovery among survivors of physical injuries associated with severe pain during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. In-depth interviews were conducted among 13 participants. Findings generated by a thematic analysis revealed that the pandemic, including the contagion control measures and interrupted healthcare, were of negative consequence for the participants' recovery experiences and mental and physical health. Despite experiencing severe pain and perceived needs for support, the participants experienced being deprioritized by the healthcare system. They experienced a reduced capacity to cope with pandemic-related stress and to perform everyday tasks, which they perceived as generating an additional burden for their loved ones. Alcohol was reported to be used in an effort to relieve the associated mental distress. As suggested by this study, injury survivors constitute a vulnerable subgroup for whom the continuity of rehabilitation services during a national crisis, as well as the integration of mental health support, can be essential for mitigating the negative impact of the crisis on recovery and for promoting optimal long-term health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette Finstad
- Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Department of Research and Development, Oslo University Hospital, P.O. Box 4956, 0424 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Thomas Clausen
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1039, 0315 Oslo, Norway
| | - Leiv Arne Rosseland
- Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Department of Research and Development, Oslo University Hospital, P.O. Box 4956, 0424 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Olav Røise
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171, 0318 Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Trauma Registry, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, P.O. Box 4956, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid A. Havnes
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171, 0318 Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, P.O. Box 4959, 0424 Oslo, Norway
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Treatment seeking for alcohol-related issues during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of an addiction-specialized psychiatric treatment facility. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09934. [PMID: 35855398 PMCID: PMC9279183 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and its societal impact may cause long-term behavioral changes in alcohol use due to increased psychological distress, unemployment, and time spent home. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on treatment seeking for alcohol use disorders and related problems in a Swedish psychiatric treatment facility. Using an interrupted-time-series design on data derived from an addiction-specific psychiatric treatment facility located in Malmö, Sweden, we hypothesized that treatment seeking would decrease during the pandemic based on previous research identifying limited alcohol availability and affordability, as well as accessibility to treatment centers as influential factors. In addition, we assessed the predictive power of alcohol sales and number of active cases in the region using simple linear regressions. Results indicated that the pandemic had little to no effect on the number of people needing care, however a significant step change was found in treatment seeking patterns for unique female patients during the second wave (October 2020). Regression analyses indicated that alcohol sales and the number of active cases in the region did not significantly predict treatment seeking. A causal relationship between the onset of the pandemic and variation in treatment seeking for alcohol use could not be established. More research is needed to fully understand the pandemic's impact on alcohol use behavior change.
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Kerr WC, Ye Y, Martinez P, Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Patterson D, Greenfield TK, Mulia N. Longitudinal assessment of drinking changes during the pandemic: The 2021 COVID-19 follow-up study to the 2019 to 2020 National Alcohol Survey. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1050-1061. [PMID: 35753040 PMCID: PMC9350305 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background Surveys of changes in drinking during the COVID‐19 pandemic have primarily relied on retrospective self‐report. Further, most such surveys have not included detailed measures of alcohol use patterns, such as beverage‐specific consumption, nor measures of alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms that would allow a comprehensive understanding of changes in alcohol use. Methods Data from 1819 completed interviews from the N14C follow‐up survey to the 2019 to 2020 National Alcohol Survey (N14) were conducted between January 30 and March 28, 2021. Questions on alcohol use from the Graduated Frequency series, beverage‐specific quantity and frequency, and DSM‐5 AUD items were asked in both surveys and used to estimate changes from pre‐pandemic drinking to drinking during the pandemic. Analyses focus on changes in these measures over time and comparisons between key subgroups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, and age. Results Key findings include particularly large increases in drinking and AUD for African Americans and women, reduced drinking and heavy drinking prevalence among men and White respondents, and a concentration of increased drinking and AUD among respondents aged 35 to 49. Increases in alcohol use were found to be driven particularly by increases in drinking frequency and the consumption of spirits. Conclusions Results confirm prior findings of overall increases and subgroup‐specific changes, and importantly, provide detailed information on the patterns of change across major socio‐demographic subgroups. Substantial increases in the prevalence of DSM‐5 moderate to severe AUDs are a novel finding that is of particular concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C Kerr
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Yu Ye
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Priscilla Martinez
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA
| | | | - Deidre Patterson
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Thomas K Greenfield
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Nina Mulia
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA
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Heradstveit O, Sivertsen B, Lønning KJ, Skogen JC. The Extent of Alcohol-Related Problems Among College and University Students in Norway Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Public Health 2022; 10:876841. [PMID: 35719681 PMCID: PMC9204355 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.876841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To provide estimates of the distribution of alcohol-related problems in a national sample of college and university students in 2021, i.e., during the COVID-19 pandemic, in comparison with pre-pandemic data from 2018. Design Longitudinal data from linkage of two recent national health surveys from 2018 to 2021. Setting Students in higher education in Norway (the SHoT-study). Participants 8,287 fulltime students (72.5% women, 27.6% men) that were 18 years or more at the time of the first survey in 2018, and 21 years or more at the time of the second survey in 2021. Measurements The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess potential alcohol-related problems. Findings 37.0% of male students and 24.1% of female students reported either risky, harmful, or dependent alcohol use in 2021, compared with 55.0% of male students and 43.6% of female students in 2018. This decrease in alcohol-related problems was most pronounced for dependent alcohol use, where we observed a 57% relative reduction among male students (from 3.5% in 2018 to 1.5% in 2021) and a 64% relative reduction among female students (from 1.4% in 2018 to 0.5% in 2021). Conclusions The present study demonstrated a sharp decline in alcohol-related problems among students during the COVID-19 pandemic, that were present across gender, age groups, and geographical study locations. Universal preventive measures to limit students' alcohol use should be considered when restrictions related to the pandemic is lifted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ove Heradstveit
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- *Correspondence: Ove Heradstveit
| | - Børge Sivertsen
- Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Research & Innovation, Helse Fonna HF, Haugesund, Norway
- Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kari-Jussie Lønning
- The Norwegian Medical Association, Oslo, Norway
- The Student Welfare Association of Oslo and Akershus (SiO), Oslo, Norway
| | - Jens Christoffer Skogen
- Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Evaluation of Public Health Measures, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Burdzovic Andreas J, Brunborg GS. Adolescents' Alcohol Use and Related Expectancies before and during the Early COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the Nationwide MyLife Study. Eur Addict Res 2022; 28:471-480. [PMID: 36195067 PMCID: PMC9747729 DOI: 10.1159/000526584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We examined a range of alcohol use indicators among Norwegian adolescents before and during the early COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We examined two cohorts of Norwegian 16-year-olds from the nationwide MyLife study who entered high school in fall 2020 (i.e., COVID-19 pandemic cohort; n = 915) and fall 2019/18 (i.e., prepandemic cohort; n = 1,621). Through e-surveys, adolescents reported their past year drinking frequencies and quantities (generating the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise; AUDIT-C scores) and completed Social Facilitation (SF) and Tension Reduction (TR) subscales of the Alcohol Outcome Expectancies Scale. Cohort differences across these outcomes were examined with linear and modified Poisson regression models. RESULTS There were no cohort differences in the proportion of adolescents who reported drinking in the past year or in drinking/binge drinking frequencies. However, alcohol quantities consumed on a typical drinking day were 1/3 of a drink greater in the COVID-19 cohort than in the prepandemic cohort; aIRR (95% CI) = 1.13 (1.02-1.25). These consumption differences compounded into significantly greater AUDIT-C scores (aIRR [95% CI] = 1.16 [1.02-1.32]) and positive AUDIT-C screens (31.2% vs. 26.4%; aRR [95% CI] = 1.21 [1.07-1.36]) in the COVID-19 cohort. In terms of alcohol-related expectancies, there were no SF differences, but the COVID-19 cohort reported significantly greater TR expectancies; b (95% CI) = 0.11 (0.02-0.20). CONCLUSION Despite the 2020 lockdown, Norwegian adolescents who started high school during the first pandemic year did not differ from their prepandemic peers in terms of how many of them drank, how often they drank, or in prosocial expectations they had of alcohol use. However, they consumed greater alcohol quantities per drinking day, had greater AUDIT-C scores, and reported greater tension reduction expectations of alcohol use. These results underscore the value of examining adolescents' alcohol-related behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic above and beyond the basic drinking prevalence and frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmina Burdzovic Andreas
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway,Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway,*Jasmina Burdzovic Andreas,
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Mäkelä P, Rossow I, Moan IS, Bye EK, Kilian C, Raitasalo K, Allebeck P. Measuring changes in alcohol use in Finland and Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparison between data sources. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res 2021; 30:e1892. [PMID: 34449127 PMCID: PMC8633923 DOI: 10.1002/mpr.1892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine (1) how a rapid data collection using a convenience sample fares in estimating change in alcohol consumption when compared to more conventional data sources, and (2) how alcohol consumption changed in Finland and Norway during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Three different types of data sources were used for the 2nd quarter of 2020 and 2019: sales statistics combined with data on unrecorded consumption; the rapid European Alcohol Use and COVID-19 (ESAC) survey (Finland: n = 3800, Norway: n = 17,092); and conventional population surveys (Finland: n = 2345, Norway: n1 = 1328, n2 = 2189, n3 = 25,708). Survey measures of change were retrospective self-reports. RESULTS The statistics indicate that alcohol consumption decreased in Finland by 9%, while little change was observed in Norway. In all surveys, reporting a decrease in alcohol use was more common than reporting an increase (ratios 2-2.6 in Finland, 1.3-2 in Norway). Compared to conventional surveys, in the ESAC survey fewer respondents reported no change and past-year alcohol consumption was higher. CONCLUSION The rapid survey using convenience sampling gave similar results on change in drinking as conventional surveys but higher past-year drinking, suggesting self-selection effects. Aspects of the pandemic driving alcohol consumption down were equally strong or stronger than those driving it up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Mäkelä
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Elin K Bye
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Carolin Kilian
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Peter Allebeck
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Changes in Alcohol Consumption during the COVID-19 Pandemic Are Dependent on Initial Consumption Level: Findings from Eight European Countries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph181910547. [PMID: 34639847 PMCID: PMC8508389 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that changes in alcohol consumption during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic were unevenly distributed over consumer groups. We investigated possible inter-country differences in how changes in alcohol consumption are contingent on initial consumption (before or at the start of the pandemic), and how changes in consumption translate into possible changes in the prevalence of heavy drinking. We used data from the European Survey on Alcohol use and COVID-19 (ESAC) conducted in Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Spain, and the UK (N = 31921). Past-year alcohol consumption and changes in consumption were measured by AUDIT-C. Drinking habits were compared according to percentiles of pre-pandemic consumption levels, below versus above the 90th percentile. Across countries, drinkers in the highest 10% for pre-pandemic consumption increased their drinking during the pandemic, whereas absolute changes among those initially drinking below this level were modest. The percentage of people reporting >28 alcohol units/week increased significantly in seven of eight countries. During the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol consumption in the upper decile of the drinkers increased as did the prevalence of heavy drinkers, in contrast with a declining consumption in other groups in the sample.
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