Association between Exposure to Alcohol’s Harm to Others and Health-Related Quality of Life in Korean Adults: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Mi-Jung Eum,Min-Jung Choi

doi:10.3390/ijerph18052714

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to alcohol’s harm to others (AHTO) and health-related quality of life HRQoL using a nationally representative sample. Data from 2016–2018 of 17,346 South Korean individuals aged ≥19 years were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. HRQoL was evaluated using the European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) index. A significant positive association was found between exposure to AHTO and lower EQ-5D scores (p = 0.022). In the final model of multiple regression analysis, participants’ HRQoL decreased by 0.932 points when exposed to AHTO (R2 = 36.5%, p < 0.001). In addition, the exposure to AHTO group had significantly higher odds ratios (OR) for pain/discomfort (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.15–1.75) and anxiety/depression (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.68–2.80) compared to the non-AHTO group. Further studies are required for intervention when exposed to reduce the pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression in AHTO victims as well as to reduce the incidence of AHTO.

Highlights

As of 2017, the per capita annual alcohol consumption among South Korean adults was 8.7 L, which is similar to the average of countries in the Organization for EconomicCo-operation and Development (OECD; 8.9 L) [1]
Demographic data, health behaviors, clinical characteristics, and European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) scores varied significantly depending on their exposure to alcohol’s harm to others (AHTO)
Previous studies reported no significant relationship between exposure to AHTO and low economic status [14,19]. These findings suggest that high exposure to AHTO is associated with behavioral factors, health-related factors, and environmental factors as well as low socioeconomic status (SES)

Summary

Introduction

As of 2017, the per capita annual alcohol consumption among South Korean adults was 8.7 L, which is similar to the average of countries in the Organization for EconomicCo-operation and Development (OECD; 8.9 L) [1]. As of 2017, the per capita annual alcohol consumption among South Korean adults was 8.7 L, which is similar to the average of countries in the Organization for Economic. Heavy alcohol consumption and binge drinking adversely affect the physical and mental health of the drinker [5] and of people around them (via secondhand effects) [6]. The adverse effects imposed on health, safety, and quality of life of other people due to an individual’s alcohol consumption is known as alcohol’s harm to others (AHTO). A 2015 survey of AHTO in the United States found that 20% of 8750 adult participants suffered from AHTO [7]. A 2017 report of 3000 Korean adults reported that 24.1% of participants experienced AHTO [8]. Secondhand drinking, as with secondhand smoking, is an important issue to be addressed in public health

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion