The majority of the more effective responses have included measures that isolate and quarantine those infected and their close contacts, and restrict social interaction among the population by closing businesses, school and universities and closing national, and state and territory borders. The rapid spread of COVID-19, which had involved all continents but Antarctica ( 6), has led to a wide range of public health responses around the world. Further, the impact of COVID-19 extends beyond physical health the economic impacts of the pandemic have been considerable and borne disproportionately by already economically disadvantaged countries and population groups ( 5). Rapid transmission of the virus is due to the very high susceptibility of the population ( 2) and, although the majority of those infected will experience only mild symptoms (if any), the sheer number of global infections has resulted in a high absolute number of deaths and serious, and often prolonged complications related to infection ( 3)-particularly in vulnerable population groups such as the elderly and those with underlying comorbidities ( 4).
The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has now been active for 1 year, at the time of writing having passed 63 million cases and causing at least 15 million deaths globally ( 1). Given our findings and the findings of others that mental health issues developed or were exacerbated during lockdown and may continue long after that time, urgent action is required to address a potential future pandemic of alcohol-related harms.
Anxiety, pessimism and depression predicted stockpiling behaviour in UK and Australian women despite the many demographic and contextual differences between the two cohorts. Having a tertiary education was protective for alcohol stockpiling at each time point (RR: 0.69 95% CI: 0.54, 0.87).Ĭonclusions: COVID-19 was associated with increases in risky alcohol practises that were predicted by negative emotional responses to the pandemic. Developing depression between surveys (RR: 1.53 95% CI: 1.14, 2.04) and reporting pessimism (RR: 1.42 95% CI: 1.11, 1.81), and fear/anxiety (RR: 1.33 95% CI: 1.05, 1.70) at the beginning of the study period also predicted stockpiling by the end of the lockdown. Results: In both surveys (May and July), UK women scored higher than Australian women on the AUDIT-C, and residence in the UK was found to independently predict stockpiling of alcohol (RR: 1.51 95% CI: 1.20, 1.91). Analysis involved a range of univariate and multivariate techniques examining the impact of demographic variables and negative affect on consumption and acquisition outcomes. The surveys included the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) and questions alcohol stockpiling. Participants were surveyed again ( N = 1,377) in July 2020, at a time when COVID-19 restrictions were beginning to ease. Methods: We collected online survey data from 2,437 midlife women in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia in May 2020, recruited using a commercial panel, in the early days of mandated COVID-19 related restrictions in both countries. Introduction: This project examined the impact of COVID-19 and associated restrictions on alcohol practises (consumption and stockpiling), and perceptions of health risk among women in midlife (those aged 45–64 years). 5School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Ontario, ON, Canada.4Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.3School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.2School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.1College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.Wilson 1,3,4, Belinda Lunnay 1, Samantha B.
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