Mobility Restrictions and Alcohol Use during Lockdown: 'A Still and Dry Pandemic for the Many'?

Arbeitspapier

Unexpected mobility disruptions during lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 became 'tipping points' with the potential to alter pre-pandemic routines sensitive to socialisation. This paper investigates the impact of lockdown exposure on alcohol consumption. We document two findings using information from the Google Mobility Report and longitudinal data from the Understanding Society in the United Kingdom. First, we find a sharp reduction in both actual mobility and alcohol use (consistent with a "still and dry pandemic for the many" hypothesis). However, we document an increase in alcohol use among heavy drinkers, implying a split behavioural response to COVID-19 mobility restrictions based on alcohol use prior to the pandemic. Second, using the predictions of the prevalence-response elasticity theory, we find that the pandemic's reduction in social contacts is responsible for a 2.8 percentage point reduction in drinking among men.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 16251

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Health Insurance, Public and Private ; Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
• Thema: mobility ; routines ; alcohol use ; mobility restrictions ; lockdown ; health behaviours ; difference in differences ; COVID-19

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Celidoni, Martina ; Costa-Font, Joan ; Salmasi, Luca
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (wo): Bonn
• (wann): 2023

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/278949
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 10.03.2025, 11:42 MEZ