Impact of Covid-19 on Alcohol Use in The U.S.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an enormous impact on public health and well-being. Alcohol misuse, a significant public health concern, has the potential to further complicate the pandemic. Alcohol misuse may influence COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. In addition, the broad consequences of the pandemic, in turn, may contribute to alcohol misuse. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health, is focused on the interaction of alcohol with the pandemic.

This webinar discusses the bidirectional relationship between alcohol and COVID-19, including:

• How alcohol consumption has changed during the pandemic
• How alcohol use in social settings may increase spread of the novel coronavirus
• How alcohol misuse may contribute to COVID-19 susceptibility and severity
• How pandemic-related factors may increase vulnerability for alcohol use disorder and comorbid conditions
• How the pandemic has implications for the delivery of treatment services
• How pandemic-related disruptions have impacted alcohol research and research training

This webinar is another in a series led by the Friends of NIAAA coalition, APA, and the Research Society on Alcoholism, in cooperation with the Congressional Caucus on Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery.