Alcohol-Related Deaths Spiked During the Pandemic, a Study Shows

According to reports published Nov., There has also been an increase in opioid deaths, in which alcohol has played a role. Young adults aged 25 to 44 saw the most significant increase in alcohol-related deaths in 2020. Up nearly 40 percent from the previous year. According to a new report.

Available data for 2021 shows that alcohol-related deaths remain elevated. Dr. White said but added that it’s hard to tell if that’s continuing the trend. Because alcohol consumption and deaths typically drop in February after the holidays, a trend is observed spare.

“Perhaps they will return,” he said, “but this could become the new normal.”

The crisis has been brewing for years as adult drinking has risen, even as teen drinking has declined, said Kathryn Keyes. A professor of epidemiology at Columbia University was not involved in the study. Mental health problems also became more common before the pandemic. To make people more susceptible to substance abuse.

Alcohol use rises

“Like many of the consequences associated with the pandemic, this exacerbates problems that many people started before the pandemic,” said Dr. Keyes. “Alcohol use has been on the rise for 10 or 15 years among adults. The trend accelerated in 2020 as some of the motives for drinking have changed: stress-related drinking has increased, and boredom drinking has increased.”

Adults in their 20s and 40s who have children at home experience increased stress as they combine remote work and study. She said; those without children who drink more anyway may have struggled with more isolation and loneliness.

And when people drink at home. She noted the bartender doesn’t keep track of the size of the drink—”you have less control over how much is poured into the glass.” she said—and drinking is much cheaper.