Alcohol Consumption Patterns during COVID-19 Lockdown and Their Relationship with Perceived Immune Fitness and Reported COVID-19 Symptoms

Hendriksen

Garssen

et al. 2021

JCM

Self Cite

In the Netherlands, the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on daily life, with two extensive lockdowns enforced to combat the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These measures included the closure of bars and restaurants, and the transition from face-to-face to online education. A survey was conducted among Dutch pharmacy students and PhD-candidates to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on alcohol consumption, hangovers, and academic functioning. The analysis revealed a significant reduction in both quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown periods. This was accompanied with a significant reduction in hangover frequency and lower hangover severity during COVID-19 lockdown periods. The distribution of scores on academic performance showed great variability between respondents: while some participants reported impairment, others reported improved performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, or no change. Women reported that significantly more time investment was associated with maintaining these performance levels. Consistent among participants was the notion of reduced interactions with teachers and other students. Participants who reported more hangovers and most severe hangovers before COVID-19 benefited from the lockdown periods in terms of improved academic performance. Positive correlations were found between study grades/output and both the frequency and severity of hangovers experienced before COVID-19, suggesting that heavier drinkers, in particular, improved academic performance during the lockdown periods. In conclusion, COVID-19 lockdowns were associated with a significant reduction in both alcohol consumption and experiencing hangovers, which was, among heavier drinkers particularly, associated with significantly improved academic functioning.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Transition to Online Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact of Changes in Alcohol Consumption and Experiencing Hangovers on Academic Functioning

Hendriksen

Garssen

et al. 2021

JCM

Self Cite

“…during the lockdown reduced alcohol consumption on the heaviest drinking occasion. This observation is consistent with the reduced weekly alcohol consumption of these participants that we reported elsewhere [ 10 ]. While this can be regarded as a positive effect accompanying the lockdown period, it should be noted that this is the mean outcome for the full sample under investigation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Furthermore, studies that investigated COVID-19 lockdown effects also presented evidence of changes in weekly alcohol consumption. Specifically, it was shown that about 50% of drinkers either increased or reduced their weekly alcohol intake and the number of drinking days per week [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Among drinkers that increased the quantity and/or frequency of weekly alcohol consumption, there was a significant association with greater stress, reduced perceived immune fitness, and increased presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among drinkers that increased the quantity and/or frequency of weekly alcohol consumption, there was a significant association with greater stress, reduced perceived immune fitness, and increased presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. These associations were not significant in drinkers that did not alter or reduce their weekly alcohol intake [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Alcohol Consumption on the Heaviest Drinking Occasion and Hangovers during the First Dutch COVID-19 Lockdown

Severeijns

Hendriksen

et al. 2022

IJERPH

Self Cite

The purpose of this study was to compare alcohol consumption between the heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown (15 January–14 March 2020) and the first COVID-19 lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020) in the Netherlands, including the presence and severity of associated hangovers. The analysis included a sub-sample from the “Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. Overall, on the heaviest drinking occasion during the first COVID-19 lockdown period a significant reduction in number of alcoholic drinks consumed on the heaviest drinking occasion, drinking duration, and estimated BAC was observed. A significant reduction was also observed for subjective intoxication and next-day hangover severity. During the lockdown period, a significant reduction in the frequency of alcohol hangovers was reported. Several age and sex differences were observed. Specifically, men consumed significantly more alcohol than women and experienced hangovers significantly more frequently, both before and during the lockdown. With regard to age, young adults (18–35 years old) significantly reduced their alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion during the lockdown and also reported lower ratings of subjective intoxication and hangover severity. No significant changes were seen for individuals above 35 years old. In conclusion, the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands was associated with reduced alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion and a reduction in the severity of hangovers, particularly among young male adults.

“…This modest effect size is most likely due to the fact that the sample is not homogenous: about one third of the participants (30.7%) did not alter their weekly alcohol consumption during lock-down, whereas 38.3% of drinkers reported a reduction and 31.0% reported an increase in weekly alcohol consumption. A detailed comparison of these groups is presented elsewhere [ 45 ]. Including the relative large number of participants in the analysis that did not alter their drinking behavior has a lowering effect on the observed correlations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mood and Changes in Alcohol Consumption in Young Adults during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Model Explaining Associations with Perceived Immune Fitness and Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms

Severeijns

Benson

et al. 2021

IJERPH

Self Cite

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown on mood states, stress, alcohol consumption and perceived immune fitness in a Dutch sample. Analysis included a subsample from the “Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. Results show that, compared to pre-lockdown, the first COVID-19 lockdown (March 2020) was associated with experiencing poorer mood (e.g., anxiety, depression, loneliness, fatigue) and increased stress levels. Among younger participants (18 to 35 years old), a significant decrease in weekly alcohol consumption was found during COVID-19 lockdown, which was not significant in older individuals. For the younger age cohort (18 to 35 years old), increased stress significantly correlated to increased weekly alcohol consumption (r = 0.163, p = 0.003), which in turn, correlated significantly to reporting a poorer perceived immune fitness (r = −0.165, p = 0.002). Poorer perceived immune fitness correlated significantly with increases in the presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms (r = −0.313, p < 0.001, and r = −0.325, p < 0.001, respectively). The data provides evidence for significant relationships between changes in mood, stress and alcohol consumption during COVID-19 lockdown, and supports a model that links these changes to perceived immune fitness and susceptibility to experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.