Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, there are concerns about increased consumption of alcohol worldwide due to the maintenance of social distance, lockdown of cities, and stress caused by the economic crisis, and the World Health Organization and others have issued warnings.In Japan as well, according to a government survey, household alcohol spending has increased since April 2020 compared to a year ago.Diseases caused by alcohol abuse include liver diseases such as cirrhosis and pancreatitis, but the effect of this COVID-4 epidemic on alcohol-related liver diseases and hospitalization for pancreatitis was unknown.

　Using the database of the Kyoto University-sponsored project (QIP), the research group used the monthly hospitalization rate of 2018 hospitalizations for alcohol-related liver disease and pancreatitis from July 7, 1 to June 2020, 6. Examined.

　As a result, the hospitalization rate during the COVID-19 epidemic from April to June 2020 was about 4 times higher than the pre-epidemic period (July 6 to March 2018). Comparing the hospitalization rates from April to June 7 in the same month of the previous year, April 2020 times, May 3 times, June 1.2 times for men, April 2020 times, May 4 times, June 6 times for women. The number of women increased significantly. It has also been suggested that women may be more susceptible to economic impacts under the COVID-4 epidemic, and the results of this study may reflect differences in economic impacts by gender.

　Since there is no information on individual alcohol consumption in the database this time, it is hoped that research will continue to investigate the direct relationship between changes in individual alcohol consumption and the relationship between alcohol-related liver disease and hospitalization for pancreatitis. It is supposed to be.

Paper information:[Scientific Reports] The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on hospital admissions for alcohol-related liver disease and pancreatitis in Japan