MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsinites drank more during the pandemic, according to a new survey from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The three-part survey conducted by Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) asked people throughout the state about their pandemic drinking habits. It took place in three rounds or waves: May through June 2020, January to February 2021, and in June 2021.

Those that increased their drinking the most were higher-earning younger adults, or those 21 to 40 years old.

According to Associate Director and Co-Principal Investigator of SHOW Amy Schultz, the increase was especially true for those holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, those within the highest income bracket, and those who worked remotely during COVID-19.

About 19-28% of those who had a bachelor’s degree or higher said they drank more during the pandemic.

Comparably, only 13% to 15% of people with a high school diploma equivalent or less reported drinking more during the same periods.

“It is difficult to know exactly why, but many things changed during the pandemic. Many individuals were dealing with multiple stressors of work, caring for children and families and the added anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “The shift to remote work and social distancing often meant fewer social outlets.”

Another factor for an increase in drinking was having kids under the age of 18. Around 21% and 35% of people in this population reported drinking more during COVID-19.

“Wisconsin is already known for excessive drinking behaviors and the pandemic appears to have exacerbated that in some groups, based on what people reported in the survey,” Schultz said.

Despite the increase, higher alcohol consumption rates did decline with every wave in the survey, going from 23.2% in the first wave to 15.3% in the third.

“While we don’t know exactly how much these drinking trends match other trends in substance use for these individuals, thankfully, it appears that after about 18 months, the trends in increased alcohol consumption were reversing,” Schultz said. “It is concerning though that more than 15% of survey respondents in each wave reported drinking more than before the pandemic.”