In 2019 and 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted populations across the world. In 2021, as the pandemic came to a halt following the mass distribution of vaccines, more research is being published on the health effects associated with the viral disease.
In JAMA, a team of experts uncovered a distinct trend as to the rates of alcohol withdrawal among patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to researchers, a 34 percent increase in alcohol withdrawal rates was measured among hundreds of patients at ChristianaCare.
The publication of the findings arose as more researchers have uncovered substantial effects on mental health with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But in the study of 340 patients with alcohol withdrawal, pandemic-associated stress was of concern for researchers given the lack of recovery supports due to lockdown measures.
“We designed the study to capture the big picture,” said the study’s lead author Ram Sharma in a news release.
“We expected to see higher rates of alcohol withdrawal during the pandemic, and the data proved us right. Increased vigilance to identify alcohol withdrawal with systematic screening of hospitalized patients will be pivotal as spikes in the pandemic force future stay-at-home orders.”
