Age and Marital Status Predictors of Binge Alcohol Use among Adults with Major Depressive Episode

Abstract

This study aims to examine if age and marital status can predict the risk for binge alcohol use (BAU) among adults with a major depressive episode (MDE). To achieve this goal, data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2018 National Survey for Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were extracted and analyzed. The unweighted sample included 6,999 adults with MDE representing a weighted population size of 33,900,452.122 in the US. The findings of this retrospective research confirmed that age and marital status significantly predict BAU in the past month among adults with an MDE. Adults with an MDE at higher risk for BAU were adults under the age of 50, adults who were never married, and adults who were divorced/separated. Special attention must be paid to those in age groups under 50, never married, and have been separated/divorced who are particularly at-risk for future alcohol abuse. Future research should consider examining additional potential confounders for BAU among other at-risk populations.