Alcohol consumption often increases in times of stress such as disease outbreaks. Wisconsin has historically ranked as one of the heaviest drinking states in the United States with a persistent drinking culture. Few studies have documented the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol consumption after the first few months of the pandemic. The primary aim of this study is to identify factors related to changes in drinking at three timepoints during the first eighteen months of the pandemic. Survey data was collected from May to June 2020 (Wave 1), from January to February 2021 (Wave 2), and in June 2021 (Wave 3) among past participants of the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin. Study participants included 1290, 1868, and 1827 participants in each survey wave, respectively. Participants were asked how their alcohol consumption changed in each wave. Being younger, having anxiety, a bachelor’s degree or higher, having higher income, working remotely, and children in the home were significantly associated with increased drinking in all waves. Using logistic regression modeling, younger age was the most important predictor of increased alcohol consumption in each wave. Young adults in Wisconsin may be at higher risk for heavy drinking as these participants were more likely to increase alcohol use in all three surveys.
Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a growing class of manufactured chemical compounds found in a variety of consumer products. PFAS have become ubiquitous in the environment and were found in many humans sampled in the United States (U.S.). Yet, significant gaps in understanding statewide level exposures to PFAS remain. Objective: The goals of this study are to establish a baseline of exposure at the state level by measuring PFAS serum levels among a representative sample of Wisconsin residents and compare to United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: The study sample included 605 adults (18+ years of age) selected from the 2014-2016 sample of the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW). Thirty-eight PFAS serum concentrations were measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-MS/MS) and geometric means presented. Weighted geometric mean serum values of eight PFAS analytes from SHOW were compared to U.S. national levels from the NHANES 2015-2016 sample (PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFDA, PFUnDA), and the 2017-2018 sample for Me-PFOSA, PFHPS using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results: Over 96% of SHOW participants had positive results for PFOS, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFDA, PFNA, and PFOA. In general, SHOW participants had lower serum levels across all PFAS when compared to NHANES. Serum levels increased with age and were higher among males and whites. These trends were seen in NHANES, except non-whites had higher PFAS levels at higher percentiles. Significance: Wisconsin residents may have a lower overall body burden of some PFAS compounds compared to those seen by a nationally representative sample. Additional testing and characterization may be needed in Wisconsin, particularly among non-whites and low socioeconomic status, for which the SHOW sample had less representation compared to NHANES.
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic increased stress levels broadly in the general population. Patterns of alcohol consumption are known to increase in times of increased stress like natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and economic turmoil. Wisconsin is an important place to study changes in alcohol consumption because it is one of the heaviest-drinking states in the United States. The primary aim of this study is to identify changes in alcohol use at three distinct timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic in a statewide sample. Methods: An online survey was sent to 5,502 previous Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) participants to ask about a wide range of topics related to COVID-19. The timepoints were taken May through June 2020 (Wave 1), January to February 2021 (Wave 2), and June 2021 (Wave 3) The sample included 1,290, 1,868, and 1,585 participants in each of the three waves respectively. Changes in alcohol consumption (whether they drank more, about the same, or less) were examined by race, age, gender, educational attainment, annual income, anxiety and depression status, remote work status, whether the participant experienced employment changes due to COVID-19, and whether there were children present in the home. Within-wave univariate changes in alcohol consumption were evaluated by demographics using a chi-squared test. Results: In all three waves, those with anxiety, a bachelors degree or higher, two younger age groups, and those with children in the home were significantly more likely to increase alcohol consumption. Those reporting depression, those in the highest income quartile, and those working remotely were more likely to report increased drinking in the first two surveys, but not in the third survey. Participants reporting changes in employment due to COVID-19 were more likely to increase drinking in the first survey only. Non-white participants were more likely to report decreased drinking in the first survey only. Conclusions: There may be subpopulations in Wisconsin at higher risk for the negative effects of heavy drinking during the pandemic like those with anxiety, those with children in the home, those with a bachelors degree or higher, and those in younger age groups, as these groups had consistently higher alcohol use that did not subside 15 months after lockdowns began.
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