Risky alcohol consumption in older people before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

There has been little previous research within mental health services exploring changes in drinking behavior among older people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study compared alcohol use and risky drinking both before and after lockdown in this age group. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to identify risky drinking in people aged between 55 and 74, in a sample of 366 people. One hundred and eighty-five people were referred before and one hundred and eighty-one people after lockdown in the UK. Compared with before lockdown, it was more likely for older people referred after lockdown to be female, have less severe cognitive impairment, and to show other features of alcohol-related harm such as morning drinking and feeling guilt or remorse over their drinking. These findings have implications for both access to services and service provision in older people who experience restrictions on their independence during a pandemic.