Key Messages

• As compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, 23.3% of respondents reported drinking more alcohol compared to before the pandemic (4.8% drank much more and 18.5% drank slightly more), 11.8% reported drinking less alcohol (6.1% drank much less and 5.7% drank slightly less), and 65% reported no change in alcohol use.
• Analyses indicated that changes in alcohol use were associated with age, household income, a person’s living situation, anxiety, and feeling lonely or depressed.
• The observed shifting of alcohol consumption may have impacts on health which could be offset by implementing alcohol policies.

Keywords

• Alcohol
• Heavy Episodic Drinking
• Policy
• COVID-19
• Financial crisis
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Social isolation
• Systematic review
• Survey

Author(s)

• Nominated Principal Applicant: Dr. Kevin D Shield, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Matthew Young, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
• Branka Agic, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Samantha Wells, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Jürgen Rehm, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Shehzad Ali, Western University
• Adam Sherk, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research
• Tim Stockwell, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research

For more information, please contact: Dr. Kevin D Shield, Kevin.Shield@CAMH.ca

Related Syntheses

• The Relationship Between Social Connectedness and Mental Health for Residents of Long-term Care Homes: Knowledge Synthesis and Mobilization
• The GID-COVID Project: Gender and Intervention in Addiction with Individuals in Situations of Social Precarity in the Context of a Pandemic
• What is the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the mental health of children aged 5–12, and what are the specific issues faced by children with a disability or chronic illness? A scoping review of problems experienced and promising avenues for intervention

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Population

People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and Substance Use

Language

To ensure the rapid dissemination of this critical information, information is published in the language in which it was submitted. Please contact us for French or English translations.