Influence of alcohol on the worsening of COVID-19 and the occurrence of long COVID

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the alcohol consumption patterns of adults and older adults before the development of COVID-19 and the influence of alcohol consumption on the outcomes and complications of long COVID. Method: cross-sectional study based on data from a retrospective cohort conducted with adults and older adult who had COVID-19 and who consumed alcohol before infection with the disease. A standardized electronic form was used to collect sample data and a path model was adjusted to prove the theoretical model on the influence of alcohol consumption on negative outcomes for COVID-19. Results: sample of 1,171 participants who responded to the question about alcohol. Of these, 408 (34.84%) reported alcohol consumption prior to the disease. The majority were male, younger, highly educated, and had children over the age of 18. The presence of chronic noncommunicable diseases leads to an 11% increase in the chance of hospitalization and a 12% increase in the chance of long COVID. The age of the participants affected alcohol use and directly affected the need for hospitalization. Conclusion: It is important to adopt intervention strategies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption, especially in contexts of syndemic, to mitigate the associated risks.