ABSTRACT
Purpose: We assessed how COVID-19-related alcohol sales policies influenced alcohol use behaviors during the pandemic for U.S. adults of diverse sexual (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning [LGBQ]) and gender identities (transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer, and gender questioning [T/NB/GQ]). Methods: Time-specific, state-level, restaurant, bar, and off-premise alcohol policy data were collected from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism-sponsored Alcohol Policy Information System and merged with the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data. Treatments included bar, restaurant, and delivery alcohol sales policies. Outcomes included past 30-day drinking frequency, quantity, and heavy episodic drinking (HED). We fitted negative binomial regression models for all outcomes, clustered standard errors by state and used sample weights. We also controlled for seasonality, state Alcohol Policy Scale scores, pre-/postpandemic time period, and included demographic control variables in our cross-sectional analyses. Results: The sample included 10,505 adults identifying as LGBQ and 809 as T/NB/GQ from 32 states. Restaurant and bar closures were associated with less alcohol use for LGBQ respondents. Outdoor-only policies at bars were also associated with significantly less quantity of use and HED for T/NB/GQ adults in the sample. Off-premise home delivery was associated with greater quantity of use for LGBQ respondents and less frequency for T/NB/GQ respondents. Conclusion: The COVID-19-related alcohol sales policy changes offer an opportunity to better understand alcohol policy and availability's influence on drinking behaviors among sexual and gender-diverse populations in the United States.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated how Shelter-in-Place (SIP), modified reopening orders, and self-reported compliance with these orders have affected adolescent alcohol frequency and quantity of use across contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differences-in-differences (DID) models and multi-level modeling analyses were conducted on longitudinal data collected as part of a larger study on alcohol use among adolescents in California. 1,350 adolescents at baseline contributed 7,467 observations for a baseline and 5 six-month follow-up surveys. Analytic samples ranged from 3,577-6,245 participant observations based on models. Alcohol use outcomes included participant frequency (days) and quantity (number of whole drinks) of alcohol use in past 1-month and past 6-month periods. Context-specific alcohol use outcomes included past 6-month frequency and quantity of use at: restaurants, bars/nightclubs, outside, one's own home, another's home, and fraternities/sororities. Participant self-reported compliance with orders in essential business/retail spaces and at outdoor/social settings were also assessed. RESULTS: Our DID results indicated that being under a modified reopening order was associated with decreases in past 6-month quantity of alcohol use (IRR = 0.72, CI = 0.56-0.93, p < 0.05). Higher self-reported compliance with SIP orders related to social outdoor/social settings was associated with decreases in overall drinking frequency and quantity as well as decreases in frequency and quantity of alcohol use in all contexts in the past six months. Compliance with SIP orders impacting essential businesses and retail spaces was associated with decreased frequency and quantity of use at other's home and outdoors. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that SIP and modified reopening policies may not directly affect adolescent alcohol use or drinking contexts, and that individual compliance with such orders may be a protective factor for alcohol use.