ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND. In the Indian population, it is estimated that 34-42% of adults have been the users of alcohol in their lifetime. coronavirus disease (COVID-19), undoubtedly the greatest public health catastrophe of our times, has been making a universal concern throughout the world over the past few months and is throwing up several challenges for us in numerous ways. AIM OF THE STUDY:To assess the impact of Covid 19 infection in alcohol-dependent individuals METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in the year October-2021 to January 2022 in the psychiatrySRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kaatankulathur, Tamilnadu, India. A total of 200 patients are selected for the study. 100 cases with alcohol dependence syndrome & 100 healthy controls without alcoholic usage. In case as well controls COVID positivity was either confirmed with RT-PCR (or) CT severity score(or) by clinical evaluation. Severity of the COVID infection were assessed by, CT severity score. RESULT(S): The proportion of participants with COVID infection was significantly more in the controls than in the Alcohol-dependent patients (P-value < 0.05).The duration of stay was higher in the control group (80.6 %) than the cases (66.6%) with a P value of less than 0.05.Though the oxygen requirement was more in the control group than in the cases the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION(S): The risk of covid infections was higher in the controls than in Alcohol-dependent cases. Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.