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35th AM (2025) - Poster Session
The Influence of COVID-19 on Alcohol Related Disch ...
The Influence of COVID-19 on Alcohol Related Discharges in Us Hospitals
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Pdf Summary
This retrospective study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol-related hospital discharges across the United States in 2019 and 2020, utilizing the National Inpatient Sample dataset. Alcohol-related cases were identified via ICD-10 codes covering alcohol abuse, dependency, nonspecific use, and toxic ethanol intoxication, and were examined by year, quarter, and sex.<br /><br />Findings reveal a complex, dual influence of the pandemic on alcohol-related hospitalizations. Toxic ethanol discharges, often linked to acute intoxication from binge drinking, declined significantly during 2020, especially in the third and fourth quarters. This decrease likely reflects reduced social drinking opportunities due to lockdowns and social restrictions.<br /><br />Conversely, hospital discharges for alcohol abuse and dependency increased during the pandemic year, indicating heightened chronic or problematic drinking behaviors potentially driven by pandemic-related psychosocial stress. Specifically, alcohol abuse and dependency cases were more prevalent in 2020 across most quarters. Notably, nonspecific alcohol use and alcohol dependency discharges increased in the fourth quarter of 2020.<br /><br />A total of over 27 million alcohol abuse–related discharges were recorded in 2020 compared to around 30 million in 2019. Statistical analysis using Fisher’s Exact test demonstrated significant shifts (p < 0.0005) in these categories between the two years.<br /><br />The study concludes that while social drinking and acute toxic ethanol events decreased during the pandemic due to lockdown restrictions, stress-related alcohol misuse and dependency grew more common. These findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions addressing the psychological drivers of alcohol misuse during widespread societal stress, aiming to mitigate the long-term consequences of increased dependency amid such crises.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic
alcohol-related hospital discharges
National Inpatient Sample
ICD-10 codes
alcohol abuse
alcohol dependency
toxic ethanol intoxication
binge drinking
psychosocial stress
public health interventions
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