Psychological Distress and Heavy Alcohol Consumption Among U.S. Young Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The predictors of heavy drinking among U.S. young women during the COVID-19 pandemic are not well-examined. This study aims to determine the prospective relationship between COVID-19 psychological distress and heavy alcohol use among U.S. young adult women. This study used the COVID-19 Adult Resilience Experiences Study (CARES) data collected from April 13, 2020, to August 31, 2020 (T1) and September 21, 2020, to March 15, 2021 (T2). Among the young adults (ages 18–30) who participated in both surveys, a total of 684 identified as women (including transgender women) and were included in the analysis. Three or more drinks as a typical intake were defined as heavy drinking. Psychological distress in T1 was measured using scores for financial stress, COVID-19–related worry, and COVID-19–related grief. A series of logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with young women's heavy drinking during the pandemic. Twenty-two and one-half percent of young women reported heavy drinking in a typical intake. After controlling for covariates, women who reported high levels of COVID-19–related grief were more likely to report heavy drinking (odds ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.13; p