Changes in drinking days among United States adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

To examine changes in drinking behavior among United States (US) adults between March 10 and July 21, 2020,a critical period during the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignLongitudinal, internet-based panel survey.SettingTheUnderstanding America Study (UAS), a nationally representative panel of US adults age 18 or older.ParticipantsA totalof 4298 US adults who reported alcohol use.MeasurementsChanges in number of reported drinking days from March11, 2020 through July 21, 2020 in the overall sample and stratified by sex, age, race/ethnicity, household structure,poverty status, and census region.FindingsCompared with March 11, the number of drinking days per week was sig-nificantly higher on April 1 by an average of 0.36 days (95% CI = 0.30, 0.43), on May 1 by an average of 0.55 days (95%CI = 0.47, 0.63), on June 1 by an average of 0.41 days (95% CI = 0.33, 0.49), and on July 1 by an average of 0.39 days(95% CI = 0.31, 0.48). Males, White participants, and older adults reported sustained increases in drinking days, whereasfemale participants and individuals living under the federal poverty line had attenuated drinking days in the latter part ofthe study period.ConclusionsBetween March and mid-July 2020, adults in the United States reported increases in thenumber of drinking days, with sustained increases observed among males, White participants, and older adults.