Public Health England (PHE) has published new data on trends in alcohol consumption and harm since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. PHE report an increase in total alcohol-specific deaths, driven by an increase in alcoholic liver disease deaths above levels seen pre-pandemic. See PHE press release.
Comparing March 2020 and March 2021, there was a 58.6% increase of people reporting that they are drinking at increasing and higher-risk levels (50 units a week for men, 35 units a week for women). As such, surveys and other data has generally identified that despite most people drinking the same or less since the pandemic, those with pre-existing alcohol use disorders are more likely to be drinking more. This has been linked to increases in factors such as mental health problems or stress.
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