Predictors of reported alcohol intake during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada among middle-aged and older adults: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Factors predictive of potentially worrisome alcohol use (i.e. increased intake, binge drinking) included younger age, sex, greater education and income, living alone, cannabis use, and worse mental health. Some of these factors were also associated with decreased intake, but the magnitudes of associations were smaller. This information may help direct screening efforts and interventions towards individuals at risk for problematic alcohol intake during the pandemic.