Alcohol Consumption During COVID-19: A Quantitative Analysis of Middle-to-Older-Aged Men in South Australia

Abstract

The impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the world. In Australia, social restrictions and lockdowns have demonstrably affected drinking behaviours with the closure and extensive restrictions surrounding typical places of drinking, such as pubs, clubs, bars, and restaurants. This has led to increased drinking in homes. Previous research and media articles have focused upon female experiences of alcohol consumption during COVID-19. The current study provided rationale for a focus upon the specific challenges that men have encountered concerning alcohol consumption during the pandemic. The current study derived data from the sixth wave (collected in 2020) of Men Androgen Inflammation Lifestyle Environment and Stress (MAILES) studies collected since 2002. The sample comprised 673 suburban, community-dwelling men with a mean age of 69.5 years. Hierarchical binary logistic regressions indicated that middle age, depression, and concern for oneself becoming sick with COVID-19 was associated an increase in alcohol consumption in men. Further, results indicated that middle age, and concern for oneself becoming sick with COVID-19 was associated with hazardous alcohol consumption in men. The study provided explanations for the findings and concluded that the current study has a number of limitations but has the potential to inform future research on the effects of COVID-19 upon male alcohol consumption. The current study is generalisable to other jurisdictions with similar sociodemographics and experiences of COVID-19.