Describing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol-induced blackout tweets.
Rose Marie WardBenjamin C RiordanJennifer E MerrillJacques E RaubenheimerPublished in: Drug and alcohol review (2020)
Our findings demonstrate that references to high-risk drinking persist during the pandemic despite restrictions on large social gatherings. Given that the internet is a common source of information for COVID-19, the frequent posting about blackouts during this period might normalise the behaviour. This is concerning because alcohol use increases susceptibility to COVID-19, and alcohol-related mortality can further tax hospital resources.