Alcohol-related harm in families and alcohol consumption during COVID-19

Abstract

This paper explores alcohol-related harm within families and the best available evidence on alcohol consumption during the restrictions related to COVID-19 in Australia, from March to July 2020. Drawing on a scoping review of survey data and established evidence, the paper explores what alcohol-related harm looks like, what we know about alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm during the early stages of COVID-19, and how practitioners can adopt a harm-minimisation approach when working with clients.

This publication is intended to provide the basis for practitioners without specialist alcohol and other drug training to gain a greater understanding of how alcohol consumption changed during COVID-19, to better understand potential alcohol-related harms, and to develop strategies to support clients who may be experiencing harm themselves or in their families.