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In Argentina, the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic led to serious changes to social interaction, health, economy, and education. Argentina experienced two extensive lockdown periods. University education remained virtual for almost two academic years. The purpose of the present work was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Argentina on alcohol consumption, hangover severity and smoking among university students in Buenos Aires. A retrospective online survey was conducted in 2021 among students of the University of Buenos Aires. Participants aged 18–35 years old were asked about the average number of alcoholic drinks and number of drinking days per week, binge drinking occasions, drunkenness, next day hangover severity, number of hangovers per month, and smoking behavior. The results showed that the first and second COVID-19 lockdowns were associated with significant reductions in both weekly alcohol consumption, and hangover severity and subjective intoxication on their heaviest drinking occasions. Males consumed significantly more alcohol than females, and older students (25–35 years old) consumed more alcohol than younger students (18–24 years old). In addition, younger students reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day during the two lockdown periods while older students exhibited significantly more smoking days per week. In conclusion, the present work in Argentinian students revealed a significant reduction in weekly alcohol consumption, and subjective intoxication and hangover severity on their heaviest drinking occasions during the pandemic lockdown periods.

Neuroticism, i.e., the disposition to experiencing feelings of emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and anger, is often considered a relatively stable and fundamental personality characteristic (trait neuroticism). However, the level of neuroticism can also vary within individuals (state neuroticism), depending on external factors such as life events and work stress. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent having a holiday can reduce state neuroticism. A survey was conducted among n = 213 young adults who were on holiday in Fiji (mean ± SD age of 24.5 ± 4.3, 46.9% women). In addition to demographics, they completed the neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire—revised Short Scale (EPQ-RSS). Compared to at home, a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in neuroticism was reported when they were on holiday (mean ± SD of 4.5 ± 3.0 versus 2.1 ± 2.3, respectively). The effect was seen in both men and women. Women had significantly higher neuroticism ratings than men, both at home (mean ± SD of 5.4 ± 2.9 versus 3.6 ± 2.9, respectively, p < 0.001) and on holiday (mean ± SD of 2.5 ± 2.4 versus 1.6 ± 2.0, respectively, p < 0.001). No significant differences were seen between individuals with a job at home or students. The correlation between neuroticism at home and the difference rating in neuroticism (‘at home’—‘in Fiji’ assessment) was highly significant (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). In conclusion, having a holiday was associated with significantly reduced levels of neuroticism. Those with the highest levels of neuroticism at home benefited the most from having a holiday.

A recent study was conducted in the Netherlands to evaluate the impact of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown periods on academic functioning, mood, and health correlates such as alcohol consumption. The study revealed that lockdowns were associated with a significantly poorer mood and a reduced perceived immune fitness. Overall, a reduction was seen in alcohol consumption during the lockdown periods. Academic functioning in terms of performance was unaffected; however, a significant reduction in interactions with other students and teachers was reported. There was, however, great variability between students as follows: both an increase and a reduction in alcohol consumption were reported, as well as improvements and poorer academic functioning. The aim of the current online study was to replicate these findings in Argentina. To this extent, a modified version of the survey was conducted among students at the University of Buenos Aires, which was adapted to the local lockdown measures. The survey assessed possible changes in self-reported academic functioning, mood, and health correlates, such as alcohol consumption, perceived immune functioning, and sleep quality compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrospective assessments were made for four periods, including (1) the period before COVID-19, (2) the first lockdown period (March–December 2020), (3) summer 2021 (January-March 2021, no lockdown), and (4) the second lockdown (from April 2021 to July 2021). This article describes the content of the survey and the corresponding dataset. The survey was completed by 508 participants. Dataset: The dataset is submitted as a Supplementary File. Dataset License: CC0.

Recently, a study was conducted in the Netherlands to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown periods on academic functioning, mood, and health correlates, such as alcohol consumption. The Dutch study revealed that lockdowns were associated with significantly poorer mood and reductions in perceived immune fitness. Overall, a reduction in alcohol consumption during lockdown periods was shown. Academic functioning in terms of self-reported performance was unaffected. However, a significant reduction in interactions with other students and teachers was reported. However, there was considerable variability among students; both increases and reductions in alcohol consumption were reported, as well as both improvements and poorer academic functioning during periods of lockdown. The aim of the current online study was to replicate these findings in Germany. To achieve this, a slightly modified version of the survey was administered among young adults (aged 18 to 35 years old) in Germany. The survey assessed possible changes in self-reported academic functioning, mood, and health correlates, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, perceived immune functioning, and sleep quality during periods of lockdown as compared to periods with no lockdowns. Retrospective assessments were made for five periods, including (1) ‘BP’ (the period before the COVID-19 pandemic), (2) ‘L1’ (the first lockdown period, March–May 2020), (3) ‘NL1’ (the first no-lockdown period, summer 2020), (4) ‘L2’ (the second lockdown, November 2020 to May 2021), and (5) ‘NL2’ (the second no-lockdown period, summer 2021). This article describes the content of the survey and the corresponding dataset. The survey was completed by 371 participants. Dataset: The dataset is submitted as a Supplementary File. Dataset License: CC0.

The purpose of this study was to compare alcohol consumption between the heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown (15 January–14 March 2020) and the first COVID-19 lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020) in the Netherlands, including the presence and severity of associated hangovers. The analysis included a sub-sample from the “Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. Overall, on the heaviest drinking occasion during the first COVID-19 lockdown period a significant reduction in number of alcoholic drinks consumed on the heaviest drinking occasion, drinking duration, and estimated BAC was observed. A significant reduction was also observed for subjective intoxication and next-day hangover severity. During the lockdown period, a significant reduction in the frequency of alcohol hangovers was reported. Several age and sex differences were observed. Specifically, men consumed significantly more alcohol than women and experienced hangovers significantly more frequently, both before and during the lockdown. With regard to age, young adults (18–35 years old) significantly reduced their alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion during the lockdown and also reported lower ratings of subjective intoxication and hangover severity. No significant changes were seen for individuals above 35 years old. In conclusion, the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands was associated with reduced alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion and a reduction in the severity of hangovers, particularly among young male adults.

Pauline A Hendriksen,1 Pantea Kiani,1 Johan Garssen,1,2 Gillian Bruce,3 Joris C Verster1,4 1Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584CG, the Netherlands; 2Global Centre of Excellence Immunology, Nutricia Danone Research, Utrecht, 3584CT, the Netherlands; 3Division of Psychology and Social Work, School of Education and Social Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, PA1 2BE, UK; 4Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, VIC3122, AustraliaCorrespondence: Joris C VersterDivision of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht, 3584CG, the NetherlandsTel +3130 253 6909Email J.c.verster@uu.nlPurpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether or not living alone or together throughout the lockdown had an impact on mood, perceived immune fitness, as well as the presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms.Methods: N = 505 participants completed an online survey, which included questions on living situations, as well as mood, perceived immune fitness and COVID-19 symptom presence and severity. These factors were assessed retrospectively for the time periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: An overall decrease in mood was observed for both those living alone and together during the lockdown period. However, significantly larger increases in feelings of loneliness were observed for the group living alone. Furthermore, both groups reported decreases in perceived immune fitness, whereas only the group living alone reported a significant increase in COVID-19 symptom presence and severity. Moreover, significant correlations were found between perceived immune fitness, anxiety, and loneliness. These correlations were strongest in the group living alone. Lastly, positive correlations were found between perceived immune fitness and mood outcomes with being active, optimistic and the ability to cope with stress. Increased optimism, being more active and the adequate ability to cope with stress were associated with a reduced negative impact on perceived immune fitness.Conclusion: The first COVID-19 lockdown period in the Netherlands was a challenging period for both people who lived alone and those living together, resulting in decreases in mood and poorer perceived immune fitness. Those living alone were, however, more heavily impacted by the lockdown restrictions. This was further reflected by the increased presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms in people who lived alone during the first COVID-19 lockdown in The Netherlands.Keywords: corona virus, living situation, health, stress, quality of life

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns were accompanied by an abrupt transition from face-to-face education to online education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic functioning and mood in Dutch pharmacy students and PhD candidates. A total of n = 341 participants completed an online survey including questions on mood and academic functioning, assessed retrospectively for before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, during COVID-19 lockdown, significantly more time was spent on academic activities, and study grades/output significantly improved. However, the overall effects were of small magnitude, and there was great variability among students, reporting either improved, unchanged or poorer academic functioning. Compared to before COVID-19, the lockdown periods were associated with significantly increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and loneliness, and a significant reduction in optimism and happiness. Significant negative correlations were found between ‘performance quality’ and stress, ‘performance quality’ and fatigue, ‘study grades/output’ and stress, and between ‘study grades/output’ and fatigue. Correlations of mood and items related to academic interactions were not statistically significant. Differential effects were seen when the data was analyzed according to sex, living situation, and ethnicity, revealing that women, students living alone, and those with a migration background reported that COVID-19 lockdowns had greater negative mood effects and a more negative impact on academic functioning. Poorer sleep quality and reduced quality of life were significantly associated with reduced mood, as well as reduced academic performance quality and role satisfaction. Regression analysis revealed that being young and not having a non-Western migration background were predictors of improved performance quality. However, only being young was a significant predictor of improved study grades/output during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased levels of stress and fatigue were significant predictors of both reduced performance quality and poorer study grades/output during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, for the sample as a whole, the transition to online education during the COVID-19 lockdown was judged as having significant positive effects on academic performance. The lockdown periods were associated with significantly reduced mood and reduced social interactions. It should be taken into account that about one third of students reported academic functioning to be poorer during the COVID-19 pandemic. This represents a substantial group of students who require more attention and guidance to make a successful transition to online education and cope with lockdown-associated stress and fatigue.

Mixed results have been published on the impact of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown periods on academic functioning, mood, and health correlates such as alcohol consumption. Whereas a number of students report an impaired academic performance and increased alcohol intake during lockdown periods, other students report no change or an improvement in academic functioning and a reduced alcohol consumption. This data descriptor article describes the dataset of a study investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic functioning. To investigate this, an online survey was conducted among Dutch pharmacy students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers (postdocs) of Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey assessed possible changes in self-reported academic functioning, mood and health correlates such as alcohol consumption, perceived immune functioning and sleep quality. Retrospective assessments were made for four periods, including (1) the year 2019 (the period before COVID-19), (2) the first lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020), (3) summer 2020 (no lockdown) and (4) the second lockdown (November 2020–April 2021). This article describes the content of the survey and corresponding dataset. The survey had a response rate of 24.3% and was completed by 345 participants.

Since the outbreak of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, lockdown periods have been installed to counteract the spread of the virus. These lockdowns, characterized by social isolation, have been associated with mood changes and increased stress. Individuals have used various strategies to cope with the negative effects of being in lockdown, including increasing the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate mood before and during lockdown of individuals who reported consuming more, less, or the same amount of alcohol during lockdown, and examine how this impacts and perceived immune fitness and the presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Analysis included a sub-sample from the ‘Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?’ (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. The results of the online survey showed that half of the participants did not alter their weekly alcohol consumption during lockdown (50.4%), whereas 25.9% of drinkers reported a reduction and 23.8% reported an increase in weekly alcohol consumption. Compared to individuals that did not alter their drinking behaviour, both increased and reduced alcohol consumption during lockdown was associated with poorer mood and higher stress levels. Increased alcohol consumption was associated with significantly reduced perceived immune fitness and a high presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. This effect was not significant among individuals with reduced or unaltered alcohol consumption.

Introduction: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between a healthier diet, perceived immune fitness, and biomarkers of the immune system. Methods: N = 108 participants (31 men and 77 women), 18–30 years old, completed a questionnaire, comprising the Healthy Diet Scale (HDS) and a 1-item scale assessing perceived immune fitness. In addition, saliva samples were collected and C-reactive protein (CRP) and cytokine concentrations of interleukin (IL)− 1β and IL-8 were determined. Results: Overall, a significant correlation was found between the HDS score and perceived immune fitness (r = 0.221, p = 0.021), suggesting that a healthier diet was associated with a better immune fitness. The HSD score correlated significantly and negatively with saliva CRP concentrations (r = −0.240, p = 0.013). No significant correlations were found with other biomarkers. In women, the HDS correlated significantly with perceived immune fitness (r = 0.247, p = 0.030) and CRP levels ( r = −0.281, p = 0.014). In men, correlations with perceived immune fitness ( r = −0.219, p = 0.237) and the biomarkers were not significant. Discussion: Significant associations between attaining a healthy diet, perceived immune fitness and CRP were found. More research is needed to investigate the observed sex differences and underlying mechanisms.

In the Netherlands, the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on daily life, with two extensive lockdowns enforced to combat the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These measures included the closure of bars and restaurants, and the transition from face-to-face to online education. A survey was conducted among Dutch pharmacy students and PhD-candidates to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on alcohol consumption, hangovers, and academic functioning. The analysis revealed a significant reduction in both quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown periods. This was accompanied with a significant reduction in hangover frequency and lower hangover severity during COVID-19 lockdown periods. The distribution of scores on academic performance showed great variability between respondents: while some participants reported impairment, others reported improved performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, or no change. Women reported that significantly more time investment was associated with maintaining these performance levels. Consistent among participants was the notion of reduced interactions with teachers and other students. Participants who reported more hangovers and most severe hangovers before COVID-19 benefited from the lockdown periods in terms of improved academic performance. Positive correlations were found between study grades/output and both the frequency and severity of hangovers experienced before COVID-19, suggesting that heavier drinkers, in particular, improved academic performance during the lockdown periods. In conclusion, COVID-19 lockdowns were associated with a significant reduction in both alcohol consumption and experiencing hangovers, which was, among heavier drinkers particularly, associated with significantly improved academic functioning.