The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency on Alcohol Use: A Focus on a Cohort of Sicilian Workers

Abstract

The period between the beginning and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency generated a general state of stress, affecting both the mental state and physical well-being of the general population. Stress is the body’s reaction to events or stimuli perceived as potentially harmful or distressing. Particularly when prolonged over time, it can promote the consumption of different psychotropic substances such as alcohol, and thus the genesis of various pathologies. Therefore, our research aimed to evaluate the differences in alcohol consumption in a cohort of 640 video workers who carried out activities in smart working, subjects particularly exposed to stressful situations due to the stringent rules of protection and prevention implemented during the pandemic. Furthermore, based on the results obtained from the administration of the AUDIT-C, we wanted to analyse the different modes of alcohol consumption (low, moderate, high, severe) to understand whether there is a difference in the amount of alcohol consumed that could predispose individuals to health problems. To this end, we administered the AUDIT-C questionnaire in two periods (T0 and T1), coinciding with annual occupational health specialist visits. The results of the present research showed an increase in the number of subjects consuming alcohol (p = 0.0005) and in their AUDIT-C scores (p < 0.0001) over the period considered. A significant decrease in subgroups who drink in a low-risk (p = 0.0049) mode and an increase in those with high (p = 0.00012) and severe risk (p = 0.0002) were also detected. In addition, comparing the male and female populations, it emerged that males have drinking patterns that lead to a higher (p = 0.0067) health risk of experiencing alcohol-related diseases than female drinking patterns. Although this study provides further evidence of the negative impact of the stress generated by the pandemic emergency on alcohol consumption, the influence of many other factors cannot be ruled out. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between the pandemic and alcohol consumption, including the underlying factors and mechanisms driving changes in drinking behaviour, as well as potential interventions and support strategies to address alcohol-related harm during and after the pandemic.