Alcohol-Related ED Visit Rates Were Higher During COVID-19 Pandemic Than Prior Years

April 7, 2022

Alcohol-Related ED Visit Rates Were Higher During COVID-19 Pandemic Than Prior Years

The CDC Alcohol Program led a new study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports on trends in emergency department (ED) visits related to acute alcohol consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Findings show that rates of alcohol-related ED visits were higher during all four quarters in 2020 compared with corresponding quarters in 2018–2019, with the greatest difference (+24%) in the second quarter (April–June). Check out the new Community Guide resource that features recommended strategies for reducing excessive alcohol use relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MMWR: Use of Tobacco Products, Alcohol, and Other Substances Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic A recent CDC study of data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey found that nearly one in three high school students who ever used alcohol or other drugs reported drinking more during the pandemic. However, prevalence estimates of current use of alcohol and all substances examined were lower than in national surveys conducted before the pandemic. Students only attending school virtually had a lower prevalence of alcohol use than did students attending schools with hybrid models of both in-person and virtual learning.

Other Updates

New study published in Drug and Alcohol Review: Estimating alcohol-attributable liver disease mortality: A comparison of methods.

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