Changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic among American veterans

  • Davis, J. P., Prindle, J., Castro, C. C., Saba, S., Fitzke, R. E., & Pedersen, E. R. (2021). Changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic among American veterans. Addictive Behaviors, 122, Article 107052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107052
  • With a sample of 1,230 Veterans, this study examined changes in alcohol use and binge drinking (i.e., men drinking 5+ drinks daily, women drinking 4+ drinks daily) prior to and throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection began February 2020 and follow-up data were collected 6, 9, and 12 months later. Analyses accounted for personal factors (e.g., sex, race, economic hardship), mental health factors (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], combat exposure), and negative reactions to COVID-19 (e.g., stress and sleep problems). Generally, Veterans reported linear decreases in alcohol use and binge drinking, but women, racial minorities, and those with PTSD experienced smaller decreases compared to men, White Veterans, and those without PTSD.

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Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.

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