Paul Andrew Bourne*, Diandre Allen, Jessica Bennett, Sandy Walker, Brittney Williamson, Caroline McLean, James Fallah, Calvin Campbell, Clifton Foster and Monique White
This study seeks to highlight the impact of alcohol consumption on the psychological well-being of Jamaicans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to answer the following three questions: 1.How has COVID-19 affected the drinking habits of Jamaicans? 2. What are the factors that contribute to the consumption of alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic? And 3.What are some positive ways to cope with stress during the pandemic? A probability sampling approach enabled data collection from respondents across Jamaica. The researchers used Google Forms to create a standardized survey for data collection. The Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 25.0 served to analyze the collected data. A p-value of 0.025 determined the level of significance for a sample size of 500. The results revealed that 92.2% (n=460) of respondents had consumed alcohol; 44.7% (n=222) indicated that they have started consuming more alcoholic beverages since the COVID-19 pandemic; 49.4% (n=244) used alcohol as a means of coping throughout the pandemic; 57.3% indicated that they consumed an alcoholic beverage at least 4 times weekly; and 54.4% mentioned that alcohol consumption has affect their health status [1]. The current findings revealed that 69.2% of the sampled respondents expressed some state of psychological issue during COVID-19 (i.e., depression, 34.3%; anxiety, 18.8%; suicidal thoughts, 10.7%; 5.4%, paranoia) and 58.0% indicated that social isolation has decreased their psychological and physical well-being [2,3]. Positive ways to manage alcohol consumption, such as therapy, may aid in overcoming the issue. It is evident from the research that persons have used alcohol as a means of coping during the pandemic, while participants who reported they suffered from emotional issues also increased their alcohol consumption [4].
