Abstract
As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, countries have been forced to adopt strong restrictions, such as lockdown, which can lead to serious consequences for public health, including the problematic use of addictive substances. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine changes in alcohol consumption and to identify determinants against the background of excessive drinking during the COVID-19 lockdown in the Slovak Republic. The research included 445 respondents (33% males and 67% females), and the data collection through the questionnaire took place from April 29, 2020 to July 1, 2020. Measures such as drinking frequency, amount of alcohol and excessive drinking were used to examine alcohol consumption. Descriptive analysis and binary logistic regression were used to meet the main aim. The findings provide a closer look at the situation in the Slovak Republic and contribute to comprehensive international knowledge. The frequency of excessive drinking did not change in about half of respondents (53% of males and 69% of females). More respondents decreased their excessive drinking than increased, both among males (31 and 16%, respectively) and females (25 and 6%, respectively). Similar results were found for drinking frequency and amount of alcohol. Amongst Slovak respondents, an increase in excessive drinking was more common among males, younger people, smokers, and smokers who increased smoking during the lockdown. Especially in the case of vulnerable populations, public policies should consider a response to impending problems. The findings of this study encourage the implementation of effective and evidence-based prevention programs, which are more than necessary in the Slovak Republic.
Highlights
The world has been hit by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has led to hitherto unknown conditions in people’s lives
The findings presented in the introduction underline the importance of examining various aspects of excessive alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, as public policy makers in each country should know the evidence-based information for implementing effective strategies
This can be explained by the fact that during the COVID-19 lockdown, the availability of alcohol was lower in terms of closed bars, pubs, cafes, clubs and restaurants, and people could consume alcohol bought in the store only at home [24, 25]
Summary
The world has been hit by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has led to hitherto unknown conditions in people’s lives In this context, many countries have established strict measures that have been reflected in social life. The COVID-19 pandemic can be characterized as a mass trauma with health consequences, including addictive problems This fact was emphasized by Da et al [2], who found that social isolation can lead to psychological decompensation and increased alcohol consumption or relapse. Rehm et al [3] noted that monitoring alcohol consumption levels during and after the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary to better understand the effects of COVID-19 on alcohol abuse These facts were the greatest motivation for an international team of researchers who decided at the beginning of the pandemic to examine patterns of unhealthy behavior in 22 European countries. This spectacular effort revealed valuable findings in a sample of 40,064 respondents [4,5,6], and the presented study is a part of this European research effort
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