Abstract

This study empirically examined the impact of COVID-19 on alcohol-related issues within the community. The findings reveal three key points: First, increased stress levels among community members contributed to a rise in alcohol consumption. Second, COVID-19 restricted access to hospital services for alcohol-related patients, leading to approximately 50% of these patients discontinuing their hospital visits. This limitation worsened the conditions of alcohol-dependent individuals; those who sought hospital care for the first time after the pandemic experienced emergency room visit rates that were 14 times higher and hospitalization rates that were 47 times higher. Third, the negative effects of COVID-19 were more pronounced among women than men. This study supports previous research showing that pandemic crises result in increased alcohol consumption and reduced access to medical services. It also underscores the necessity of enhancing tele-mental health services and essential in-person treatments. However, since the study relies on data from a single regional hospital, its generalizability is limited. Future research should include nationwide analyses and explore the reasons behind the decline in hospital visits among alcohol-related patients.