Change in Alcohol Use during the Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Psychosocial Factors: A One-Year Longitudinal Study in Japan

Nagisa Sugaya (), Tetsuya Yamamoto, Naho Suzuki and Chigusa Uchiumi
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Nagisa Sugaya: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
Tetsuya Yamamoto: Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan
Naho Suzuki: Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan
Chigusa Uchiumi: Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: This study investigated changes in alcohol use and its related psychosocial factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Two online surveys were completed by participants between 15 and 20 June 2021 (phase 1) and 13 and 30 May 2022 (phase 2). A total of 9614 individuals participated in both phases (46% women, mean age = 50.0 ± 13.1 years) and a repeated three-way analysis of variance and multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted. These data analyses showed that the presence of hazardous alcohol use at phase 2 was predicted by being male and unmarried, having a higher annual household income and age, having a larger social network, and displaying fewer COVID-19 prevention behaviors at phase 1. Further, the presence of potential alcoholism at phase 2 was predicted by being male, being more anxious, having a larger social network, exercising more, showing a deterioration of economic status, having more difficulties owing to a lack of daily necessities, having less healthy eating habits, and showing fewer COVID-19 prevention behaviors at phase 1. These findings suggest that psychological problems and increased work (or academic) and economic difficulties were associated with severe alcohol problems during a later stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: alcohol use; COVID-19; longitudinal study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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