Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase of heavy alcohol use has been reported in several high-income countries. We examined changes in alcohol use during the pandemic among primary health care (PHC) patients in two middle income countries, Colombia and Mexico.
Alcohol consumption causes considerable disease burden as well as economic and social costs [1,2]. In low- and middle-income countries, the burden from alcohol consumption is disproportionately higher [3] and alcohol consumption levels have increased rapidly over the recent decades as compared to high-income countries. In Latin America, alcohol is the 4th largest risk factor for morbidity, compared to being the 9th globally [4].
Since March 2020, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 spread rapidly throughout global populations reaching pandemic status, with unprecedented and profound impacts on all aspects of life. Existing literature points to two important developments relevant to alcohol consumption and attributable harm.
Link de descarga:https://doi.org.10.7189/jogh.12.05002
