Despite the passage of time, Americans Continue to Consume Alcohol as if It's Still Summer 2020
Undeniably, the COVID-19 crisis propelled numerous individuals in the U.S. towards heavier drinking, and it appears this pattern hasn't entirely subsided - at least not yet. Recent findings reveal that the pandemic has persistently impacted America's alcohol consumption, with unfavorable consequences.
The onset of the pandemic significantly disrupted our normal routines, and many individuals chose to cope by drinking more, resulting in a steep increase in alcohol consumption across the U.S. and globally throughout 2021. Fortunately, COVID-19's most severe repercussions are now a thing of the past, but this new study suggests that the initial years have left a lasting effect on our drinking habits, ultimately amplifying the risk of alcohol-related health issues such as liver disease and cancer.
The research team analyzed data collected through the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationwide survey involving household interviews and telephone calls. They scrutinized responses regarding alcohol use between 2018 and 2022. In 2018, roughly 66.2% of Americans consumed alcohol; this figure climbed to 69% in 2020, marking a nearly 3% absolute rise. Correspondingly, around 5% of Americans reported excessive drinking in 2018, while about 6.1% confessed to the same practice in 2020. By 2022, these figures remained relatively unchanged.
The researchers concluded in their paper, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine on Tuesday, that "Our results provide national data to draw further attention to the potential alcohol-related public health effects that may remain from the pandemic."
Although the percentage changes may seem marginal, the U.S. had an escalating drinking problem before the pandemic, and the health implications of enhanced pandemic drinking have not been insignificant. Previous research has highlighted a substantial surge in alcohol-related fatalities and injuries during the pandemic's early years. For instance, a study conducted in March estimated that nearly 180,000 annual deaths in the U.S. could be linked to excessive alcohol use between 2020 and 2021.
It's possible that frequent drinking in the U.S. has begun to stabilize as the pandemic's stress slowly recedes (though there were fewer reported COVID-19 deaths in 2022 compared to the initial two years, but the falls were much sharper in 2023 and 2024). However, even if it has, the consequences of this prolonged heavy drinking are likely to have long-term effects, as diseases such as cancer and liver injury can take years to manifest. And the researchers caution doctors to be more vigilant in identifying and assisting individuals at risk of unhealthy alcohol use.
As stated by lead researcher Brian Lee, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist at the University of Southern California, "We encourage health care providers to offer more screenings for harmful drinking as well as interventions for at-risk populations."
The ongoing impact of the pandemic on America's alcohol consumption raises concerns about future health issues. With the persistent rise in excessive drinking, there may be an increased risk of alcohol-related diseases like liver disease and cancer in the future.
The advancement of science and technology in the medical field can provide tools for early detection and prevention of alcohol-related health problems, potentially mitigating the impact of the long-term consequences of heavy drinking.
