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Alcohol consumption under lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in three Nordic countries

Author

Listed:
  • Oscar Gunnerlind
  • Robert Lundqvist
  • Michael Ott
  • Ursula Werneke

Abstract

Background: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns arose about a possible rise in alcohol consumption. Early surveys, however, more commonly pointed towards a decrease of alcohol use. But studies based on self-reports may underestimate alcohol use. They also depend on the population sampled. Because of border closures and gastronomy restrictions, countries with centralised alcohol sales provided a unique opportunity to study total domestic consumption during the pandemic without influence of private import or reliance on self-reports. Aims: We examined the correlation between alcohol sales and national COVID-19 restrictions in three such countries, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Method: We conducted this study as a mirror image study, comparing alcohol sales during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic with the two preceding years. We explored hours of daylight/season as potential confounders. Results: We found no relevant change in alcohol sales during the pandemic years for Finland or Sweden. For Norway, there was a level-change in sales, which could be explained by decreased imports. Sales followed a seasonal pattern. In all three countries, the initial pandemic increase in alcohol sales coincided with an underlying annually recurring seasonal variation. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic had less of an impact on alcohol consumption in the three Nordic countries than could intuitively be expected. The increase of alcohol sales at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with a seasonal rise following a pre-pandemic pattern. Therefore, caution should be exercised with drawing conclusions from data with a short time perspective to avoid attribution bias.

Suggested Citation

  • Oscar Gunnerlind & Robert Lundqvist & Michael Ott & Ursula Werneke, 2024. "Alcohol consumption under lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in three Nordic countries," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(1), pages 48-58, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:70:y:2024:i:1:p:48-58
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640231194486
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ingeborg Rossow & Elin K. Bye & Inger Synnøve Moan & Carolin Kilian & Jørgen G. Bramness, 2021. "Changes in Alcohol Consumption during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Small Change in Total Consumption, but Increase in Proportion of Heavy Drinkers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-11, April.
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