By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Is the coronavirus pandemic driving people to drink?

Yes, a new U.S. survey shows, and the greatest spike in alcohol use is being seen in women.

Overall, there was a 14% jump in drinking frequency this past spring among U.S. adults over 30 when compared to last year at the same time, researchers found. Among women, drinking frequency went up 17%.

But excessive alcohol use among women really stood out. During the early months of the pandemic, there was a 41% rise in how often women indulged in binge drinking, meaning having four or more drinks in under two hours. That translated into one in five women drinking heavily one more day each month than they had a year earlier.

“Our study shows that people drank more frequently, and for women in particular, more heavily, and with