Alcohol and COVID-19: How Do We Respond to This Growing Public Health Crisis?

Sugarman, Dawn E.; Greenfield, Shelly F.

doi:10.1007/s11606-020-06321-z

Cited by 35 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Social stressors include social isolation, unemployment, frontline work such as in a hospital, working from home, management of children’s schooling, as well as loss of loved ones, constrained financial resources and/or emotional and social support. Alcohol-related disorders are a major social problem especially during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 27 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

et al. 2021

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

et al. 2021

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“…Survivor guilt, PTSD among survivors may put people at risk to addiction [ 124 ]. Evidence based policy changes, improving access to treatment for alcohol use disorders, liaison services, evidence-based prevention, and prioritising care of vulnerable population are urgently required [ 125 ]. Preparedness plans to handle such emergencies in future are also required.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on alcohol use disorders and complications

Murthy

Narasimha

2021

Current Opinion in Psychiatry

107

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Purpose of review To understand the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on persons with alcohol use disorders. Recent findings From a total of 455 titles on COVID-19 and alcohol, 227 abstracts were screened, and 95 articles were reviewed (on November 25 th , 2020). The immediate effect was an increase in alcohol related emergencies including alcohol withdrawal, related suicides, and methanol toxicity. Although there are mixed findings with respect to changes in the quantity of drinking, there are reports of binge/heavy drinking during the lockdown as well as relapse postlockdown. Psychological, social, biological, economic and policy-related factors appear to influence the changes in drinking. Although preliminary data suggest no change in alcohol use among persons with comorbid mental illness, findings in this population are presently limited. Among patients with alcohol related liver disease, outcomes appear worse and caution is warranted with the use of medications. Alcohol also appears to increases the risk of COVID-19 infection and complicates its course. Although some nations banned alcohol sales completely during lockdown, others declared it as an essential commodity, resulting in different problems across countries. Alcohol use has added to the burden of the problem particularly among vulnerable groups like the adolescents, elderly, patients with cancer, as well as health professionals. Services for patients with alcohol use disorders have been affected. Summary The COVID-19 pandemic has had considerable impact on alcohol use, with an increase in alcohol related emergencies, changes in alcohol use patterns, increased risk of contracting COVID-19, effect on alcohol policies and sales, and an effect on vulnerable groups. It is essential to understand and respond to the current situation, intervene early, and prevent further repercussions of the pandemic. Video abstract link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IJWtIs6e554PryKWhdma4VB--mjSZq1C/view?usp=sharing .

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“…Our analysis of final and supporting causes of death underscore these findings, while also revealing an emerging increase in amphetamine-and alcohol-involved overdose deaths in Massachusetts. The increased presence of these non-opioid substances may reflect signals of increased alcohol and stimulant use during the pandemic as reported in various cities across the United States 15,16 , although these increasing trends were pre-existing at a national level. 17 Our study was limited by several data challenges.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging and Continuing Trends in Opioid Overdose Decedent Characteristics during COVID-19

Garcia

Stringfellow

DiGennaro

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Since COVID-19 erupted in the United States, little is known about how state-level opioid overdose trends and decedent characteristics have varied throughout the country. Objective: Investigate changes in annual overdose death rates, substances involved, and decedent demographics in opioid overdose deaths across nine states; assess whether 2019-2020 trends were emerging (i.e., change from 2019-2020 was non-existent from 2018-2019) or continuing (i.e., change from 2019-2020 existed from 2018-2019). Design: Cross-sectional study using vital statistics data to conduct a retrospective analysis comparing 2020 to 2019 and 2019 to 2018 across nine states. Setting: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wyoming. Participants: Opioid-related overdose deaths in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Measurements: Annual overdose death rate, proportion of overdose deaths involving specific substances, and decedent demographics (age, sex, race, and ethnicity). Results: We find emerging increases in annual opioid-related overdose death rates in Alaska (55.3% [P=0.020]), Colorado (80.2% [P<0.001]), Indiana (40.1% [P=0.038]), North Carolina (30.5% [P<0.001]), and Rhode Island (29.6% [P=0.011]). Decreased heroin-involved overdose deaths were emerging in Alaska (-49.5% [P=0.001]) and Indiana (-58.8% [P<0.001]), and continuing in Colorado (-33.3% [P<0.001]), Connecticut (-48.2% [P<0.001]), Massachusetts (39.9% [P<0.001]), and North Carolina (-34.8% [P<0.001]). Increases in synthetic opioid presence were emerging in Alaska (136.5% [P=0.019]) and Indiana (27.6% [P<0.001]), and continuing in Colorado (44.4% [P<0.001]), Connecticut (3.6% [P<0.05]), and North Carolina (14.6% [P<0.001]). We find emerging increases in the proportion of male decedents in Colorado (15.2% [P=0.008]) and Indiana (12.0% [P=0.013]). Limitations: Delays from state-specific death certification processes resulted in varying analysis periods across states. Conclusion: These findings highlight emerging changes in opioid overdose dynamics across different states, which can inform state-specific public health interventions.

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Alcohol and COVID-19: How Do We Respond to This Growing Public Health Crisis?

Cited by 35 publications

References 7 publications

COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on alcohol use disorders and complications

Emerging and Continuing Trends in Opioid Overdose Decedent Characteristics during COVID-19

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