Measures Of Alcohol Consumption Research Articles

Making decisions one drink at a time and the "just one drink" effect: A fuzzy-trace theory model of harmful drinking.

Understanding the decision factors that drive harmful alcohol use among young adults is of practical and theoretical importance. We apply fuzzy-trace theory (FTT) to investigate a potential danger that may arise from the arguably correct notion that a single drink carries no meaningful risk. Decisions that are mentally represented as one drink at a time could contribute to excessive drinking. College students (N = 351) made a series of decisions to take or decline eight hypothetical drinks presented one at a time. Outcome measures included each decision, recent alcohol consumption (weekly drinks, peak blood alcohol content, and binges), and alcohol-related harms (scores on the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). Linear regression models predicted each outcome from sex, perceived risk of a single drink, perceived risk of heavy drinking, perceived consequences of drinking, and general health-related risk sensitivity. Consistent with FTT, decisions to have a first drink and up to four additional drinks in short succession were each associated with lower perceived risk of one drink-a "just-one drink" effect-independent of perceived risks of heavy drinking, perceived consequences of drinking, and general risk sensitivity. Similarly, all measures of recent alcohol consumption and consequent harms were associated with perceived risk of one drink. Participants reporting "zero risk" of a single drink had worse outcomes on all measures than those reporting at least "low risk." Results are consistent with the theoretically informed premise that consumption decisions are typically made one drink at a time rather than by deciding the total number of drinks to be consumed in a sitting. When decisions about alcohol use proceed one drink at a time, a perception of zero risk in a single drink may contribute to heavy drinking.

Evaluating Two Brief Motivational Interventions for Excessive-Drinking University Students.

Two brief computerized motivational interventions for excessive-drinking university students were evaluated. Participants (N = 88, females = 61.5%, mean age = 21.05 years) were randomly assigned to a control group or one of two experimental groups: Computerized Brief Intervention (CBI) or Computerized Brief Intervention-Enhanced (CBI-E). CBI followed the principles of Motivational Interviewing to motivate participants to change their drinking behavior. CBI-E additionally used the principles of Systematic Motivational Counseling to identify and discuss with participants their dysfunctional motivational patterns that were interfering with their attainment of emotional satisfaction. At baseline and a three-month follow-up, the participants completed a battery of measures of alcohol consumption and related problems. At baseline, the participants were confirmed to be heavy drinkers with many drink-related negative consequences. Males and females responded differently to the interventions. During follow-up, males' alcohol use was ordered: CBI-E < CBI < Controls. The females in all three groups reduced their alcohol use, but there were no significant group differences. Males responded to the interventions as expected. For females, the assessment itself seemed to serve as an effective intervention, and there were no post-intervention differences among the three groups. Suggestions for future research using CBI and CBI-E are discussed.

Alcohol's impact on fine motor skills: Insights from minimally invasive surgical simulation

BackgroundAlcohol misuse among medical professionals poses a significant concern, and there is a lack of clarity in (inter)national guidelines regarding alcohol use during work. Moreover, there exists an insufficient body of research on the specific impact of alcohol on fine motor skills within the medical sector, specifically surgery. This study aims to investigate the impact of alcohol on fine motor skills in a minimally invasive surgical setting. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Lowland Science on August 19th, 20th, and 21st, 2022, during the Lowlands music festival in Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands. Participants were divided into five groups based on measured alcohol consumption. Exclusion criteria included drug use, prior surgical experience, being underage, and previous participation. The main outcomes were the number of correctly transferred rings during the PEG transfer task and the number of errors. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured using a breathalyser. ResultsA total of 1056 participants were included in the study. The results indicated an inverse relationship between BAC levels and surgical performance, with higher alcohol levels associated with a decrease in performance (p = 0.023). However, there was no significant difference in the number of errors among the five groups (p = 0.597). The group with the highest alcohol consumption (BAC >0.08 %) exhibited significantly worse performance compared to the group with a BAC of 0.0 % (p = 0.002). ConclusionThis study uncovers a negative impact of increased alcohol intake on fine motor skills in a minimally invasive surgery simulation exercise. While there was no effect on the occurrence of errors. Professional medical organizations should reconsider and explicate their position on alcohol use in (surgical) healthcare.

Impulsivity, self-regulation, and response withholding in university-student drinkers

This study was designed to determine how impulsivity, self-regulation, and response withholding are related to one another and to university students’ drinking behavior. Participants (N = 108) completed measures of impulsivity, self-regulation, and alcohol consumption. In addition, a computerized Go/No Go task and a backward memory task were used to measure participants’ behavioral impulsivity and their memory capacity. The aim was to determine whether (a) light/moderate and heavy drinkers would respond differently when the task stimuli were alcohol-related compared to when they were alcohol-unrelated and (b) whether the accuracy of participants’ responses was related to their cognitive ability. Compared to light/moderate drinkers, heavy drinkers were low in self-regulation and high in impulsivity. Heavy drinkers and those with lower memory capacity were also poorer at withholding responses on No Go trials. These findings point to personality/cognitive characteristics that influence university students’ alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire: Scale development in a sample of Mexican American young adults and association with ADH7

BackgroundTo understand why some individuals who develop alcohol use disorders (AUD) first begin to drink heavily, a number of scales have been developed that index aspects of alcohol craving and restraint from drinking. We developed a new measure called the Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire (ACQ), based in part on items modified from scales used to index binge eating because there are data to suggest that binge eating and binge drinking may share common antecedents. We present an initial validity study using data from a sample of Mexican Americans. MethodsData were from 699 Mexican American young adults in San Diego County, CA. A subsample (n=60) had short-term test-retest data. Factor analysis and reliability assessment guided item reduction. Item response theory (IRT) analyses quantified item severity and identified questions with differential item functioning (DIF). Logistic regression assessed associations of mean scale scores with AUD, adjusting for key demographics, alcohol expectancies and subjective response to alcohol. We also examined associations with a protective genetic variant downstream from the alcohol dehydrogenase 7 gene (ADH7). ResultsThe scale was reduced from 20 to 14 questions, which can be summarized by a single overall score (Cronbach’s alpha=0.896) or by two sub-scores (Consumption: 12 items, Cronbach’s alpha=0.896; Enjoyment: 2 items, Cronbach’s alpha=0.780). Test-retest reliability was very high (0.80-0.98) in this sample. The overall ACQ score and each subdomain score were strongly associated with AUD (ORs= 5.95 mild; 11.41 moderate; 48.56 severe) and family history of AUD. Respondents with the protective genetic variant had significantly lower overall ACQ scores (p<.001). ConclusionThe ACQ is a novel measure of alcohol consumption with strong relationships with both the AUD phenotype and ADH7 gene variants in a sample of Mexican American young adults.

Is the Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Mental Well-Being in University Students Linear, Curvilinear or Absent?

Background: Both alcohol consumption and mental well-being problems have been found to be prevalent in higher educated students and often have severe consequences. However, previous findings of the association between these constructs are mixed, possibly because often linear models are fitted, while some theories suggest a curvilinear association between the two concepts. Objectives: To clarify previously mixed findings, the current study compared curvilinear and linear models for the relationship between alcohol consumption and mental well-being in university students. Because of potential gender differences in this relationship, these models were explored for females and males separately. Data from the first cross-sectional online survey wave of the Healthy Student Life project including 2,631 female and 998 male students was used. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-consumption was used to measure alcohol consumption. Mental well-being was assessed by six sub-concepts (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, happiness, and self-rated mental health). Results: For females both linear (for anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-rated mental health) and curvilinear (for depression, stress, and happiness) associations were found, while for males no support for either curvilinear or linear models was found. Conclusions: Results should be interpreted with caution due to the small effect sizes in the relationships for females but may suggest that testing the curvilinear association between alcohol consumption and mental well-being is an important future endeavor.

Delay in the fine-tuning of locomotion in infants with meconium positive to biomarkers of alcohol exposure: a pilot study.

Prenatal alcohol exposure causes a variety of impairments to the fetus called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Since it is very difficult to identify women that consume alcohol during pregnancy, different methods have been studied to evaluate alcohol exposure. Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) and Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEEs) are commonly used to measure alcohol consumption in individuals at-risk for alcohol abuse, including pregnant women. We conducted a study of two cohorts of 1.5 year-old infants (of mothers without a history of alcohol abuse) with or without meconium samples positive to both EtG and FAEEs and we evaluated their cognitive-behavioral development by the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale (GMDS) method. Our protocol included 8 infants with meconium positive to alcohol metabolites (EtG and FAEEs) and 7 with meconium negative to alcohol metabolites. None of the 8 alcohol metabolites positive meconium infants exhibited distinctive facial features and growth retardation of severe FASD, showing that other factors may contribute to the FASD onset but elevations in EtG and FAEEs in the meconium were significantly associated with disrupted neurodevelopment and adaptive functions within the first year and a half of life. Indeed, we found out that infants with meconium positive for both EtG and FAEEs, although without displaying any FASD morphological features, had a delay in the fine regulation of their own locomotory capabilities. Further analyses and larger studies are needed to estimate the right link between prenatal alcohol exposure and the different range of disorders connected but this study provides an additional step in the field of FASD in order to suggest early treatments for at-risk newborns and infants.

Prevalence and change in alcohol consumption in older adults over time, assessed with self-report and Phosphatidylethanol 16:0/18:1 -The HUNT Study.

Changes in alcohol consumption may affect older adults' health. We examined prevalence and changes in the alcohol consumption of older women and men (≥65 years) in Norway over a 24-year period. Data from three population-based health surveys (The Trøndelag Health Study-HUNT2 1995-97, HUNT3 2006-08, HUNT4 2017-19) were used. Alcohol consumption was measured using self-reported measures and an objective measure of alcohol consumption (Phosphatidylethanol 16:0/18:1, PEth). Self-reported lifetime abstinence, former drinking, current drinking, frequent drinking (≥4 times/week), and risk drinking (≥8 units/week) were measured. The PEth concentrations were stratified: <0.03 μmol/l (abstinence/very low level of alcohol consumption); >0.06 μmol/l (indicating >1 unit/day); >0.10 μmol/l (indicating >3 units/day), and >0.30 μmol/l (heavy alcohol consumption). In HUNT4, the prevalence of self-reported lifetime abstinence, frequent drinking, and risk drinking was 5.2%, 4.4%, and 5.6%, respectively, while prevalence of PEth <0.03 μmol/l was 68.1% and PEth >0.06 μmol/l was 21.2%. Over the course of the three surveys, the prevalence of self-reported lifetime abstinence decreased, while the prevalence of frequent drinking and risk drinking increased. Men were less often abstainers and more often frequent and risky drinkers than women in all three surveys. Gender differences for abstinence and current drinking reduced with time. From HUNT3 to HUNT4, the prevalence of PEth <0.03 μmol/l decreased, while the prevalence of PEth >0.06 μmol/l increased. Men compared to women, had less often PEth <0.03 μmol/l and more often PEth >0.06 and >0.10 μmol/l in HUNT3 and HUNT4. Women and men ≥75 years were just as likely to have PEth >0.30 μmol/l in HUNT4. The gender differences in PEth concentrations were reduced in HUNT4 among those aged 70-74 years or ≥75 years. Alcohol consumption has increased among Norwegian older adults over a 24-year period, but at a slower pace during the last decade.

Predicting Disease Progression from Idiopathic Cytopenia of Undetermined Significance to Myeloid Malignancies Using a Machine Learning-Based Approach

Background Idiopathic cytopenia of undetermined significance (ICUS) is characterized by an unexplained, persistent cytopenia without a definite diagnosis of hematologic or non-hematologic conditions, and that does not meet criteria for myeloid neoplasms. The progression of ICUS to myeloid malignancies has been associated with certain clinical features, such as genetic mutations or allele frequencies. However, the incidence of progression and the risk factors vary among previous studies. While prognostic scoring systems are well-established in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) to predict progression to acute myeloid leukemia and survival outcomes, similar predictive tools for ICUS are currently lacking. Considering that a significant proportion of patients with ICUS share similar genetic abnormalities and clinical features with those with MDS, there is a need for predictive tools for ICUS. In this study, we aimed to establish a predictive model for disease progression from ICUS to myeloid malignancies. Methods Patients with ICUS were identified using electronic medical records, and those meeting the diagnostic criteria of ICUS were included. ICUS was defined as persistent cytopenia lasting for at least 4 months, with no underlying disease or condition that could explain the cytopenia which included history of cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy, blood or bone marrow (BM) disorders, autoimmune diseases, solid organ transplantation, active infection by atypical pathogens, and the use of immunosuppressant and chemotherapeutic agents. Cytopenia was defined as follows: hemoglobin &amp;lt;13 g/dL in males or &amp;lt;12 g/dL in females, neutrophil count &amp;lt;1.9 × 10 9/L, and/or platelets &amp;lt;150 × 10 9/L. For the predictive model, various features were considered, including medication history, laboratory data, comorbidities, family history of cancer and major disorders, smoking history, alcohol consumption, and physical measurements. Numeric data from the BM report were standardized using regular expressions, while free text or comments from the BM report and chromosomal analysis were extracted and processed using a pre-trained language model called PubMedBERT to generate embeddings. The primary objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for identifying progression from ICUS to myeloid malignancies. The performance of the model was assessed using machine learning algorithms, specifically XGBoost, support vector machine, and logistic regression. Results Among the initial 6,962 patients with medical records of the BM examination between January 2000 and December 2021, 5,147 patients were excluded from the modeling process due to secondary causes of cytopenia. Ultimately, 1,815 patients were finally included in the study. Of 1,815 patients, 47 (2.6%) were diagnosed with myeloid malignancies from further BM examination. The predictive model, utilizing XGBoost and incorporating standardized text and embedded features, demonstrated favorable performance, with a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.800 (Figure). Additionally, our analysis confirmed that the XGBoost model effectively processed features from text data, as we assessed the feature importance using Shapley values. Conclusion In conclusion, our study successfully established a predictive model for disease progression from ICUS to myeloid malignancies, demonstrating the potential utility of clinical predictive tools. Further integration of genetic data holds promise for enhancing the model's performance and providing clinical insights for managing patients with ICUS.

Distress tolerance, coping motives, and alcohol craving and consumption: Two experiments testing momentary responses to a mood induction

BackgroundThe current studies examined the relationship between state and trait distress tolerance (DT), drinking-related variables (alcohol craving and consumption), and the moderating role of drinking to cope with negative affect (i.e., coping motives). MethodsStudy 1 was a laboratory-based experiment. Participants (n=71) completed measures of trait DT, craving, coping motives, and affect valence prior to a negative mood induction task. Post-mood induction, participants completed measures of affect valence, alcohol craving, and state DT. Next, participants completed an alcohol taste task, measuring alcohol consumption. Study 2 was completed online. Participants (n=592) completed the same pre- and post-mood induction measures as study 1, but were randomized to a mood condition (neutral, negative, or positive). Study 2 did not include alcohol consumption. ResultsNegative mood induction lowered reported affect in both studies. In study 1, higher coping motives predicted increased craving in response to negative mood induction but state and trait DT did not predict craving change alone. Contrary to our hypothesis, individuals with higher coping motives showed a positive relationship between trait DT and craving. Analyses predicting alcohol consumption were not significant. In study 2, lower trait DT predicted post-mood induction craving prior to inclusion of interactions in the model. Higher coping motives were the strongest and most consistent predictor of craving. Other predictors (state DT, mood condition) and interaction terms were not significant. ConclusionsFindings broadly align with previous research suggesting that coping motives are predictive of craving and indicate that trait DT may also impact craving.

Parental Divorce and Trajectories of Alcohol Consumption in Men: A Genetically Informative Perspective.

Much of what is known about parental divorce and adult alcohol outcomes comes from cross-sectional comparisons of those who did and did not experience parental divorce. In contrast, far less is known about whether and how parental divorce is associated with alcohol consumption trajectories. We used a longitudinal perspective to investigate the associations between parental divorce and men's alcohol consumption trajectories as well as a genetically informative approach to evaluate whether the pattern of genetic and environmental influences on these trajectories differed for men who did and did not experience parental divorce. The sample included 1,614 adult men from a population-based twin registry in Virginia. Measures of parental divorce (before age 16) and alcohol consumption (between ages 10 and 40) came from interviews and life history calendars. Data were analyzed with growth curve and longitudinal biometric variance component models. In total, 11% of the sample experienced parental divorce. Parental divorce was associated with higher alcohol consumption intercepts that were sustained over time but was not associated with the linear slope or quadratic curvature of men's alcohol consumption trajectories. Longitudinal biometric variance components modeling indicated that genetic influences on alcohol consumption were higher in adolescence and young adulthood among those who experienced parental divorce compared with those who did not. Parental divorce is associated with the shape and relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on men's alcohol consumption trajectories from adolescence through adulthood.

Does Reducing Alcohol Use Among People with HIV Alleviate Psychological Distress and Symptoms of Depression? A Randomized Controlled Trial in Tshwane, South Africa

Although alcohol use is associated with depression, it is unclear if brief alcohol reduction interventions can ameliorate depression and psychological distress among people with HIV (PWH). We use data from a two-arm randomised controlled trial to examine this question. PWH on antiretroviral treatment (ART) were randomly assigned to receive a brief intervention or treatment as usual (n = 622). Screening was done with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), AUDIT-C, Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression inventory and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, at baseline and at 3- and 6-months post-baseline. Changes in depression and psychological distress was assessed using analysis of covariance models with baseline measures of alcohol consumption, sex and age included as covariates and adjusting for baseline symptom severity. Changes in alcohol consumption between baseline and follow-up were included in the analysis to establish if this affected outcomes. For both the intervention and control groups, there were significant reductions in symptom severity at 3-months and 6-months for depression and psychological distress, but no significant between group differences were observed. Reductions in alcohol consumption were significantly associated with reductions in depression and psychological distress, supporting the hypothesis that alcohol use is linked to depression among PWH.Trial Registration Pan African Clinical Trials Register, PACTR201405000815100.nh

Associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and alcohol consumption among UK adults: Findings from the Health Behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic (HEBECO) study.

The COVID-19 pandemic and attendant lockdowns have had a substantial negative effect on alcohol consumption and physical activity globally. Pre-pandemic evidence in the adult population suggests that higher levels of physical activity were associated with higher levels of drinking, but it is unclear how the pandemic may have affected this. Therefore, this study aims to assess the association between alcohol consumption and physical activity in a UK cohort established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses utilized data from the Health Behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic (HEBECO) study involving 2,057 UK adults (≥18 years). Participants completed self-report measures of alcohol consumption [frequency, quantity, frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and AUDIT-C score] and physical activity [moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), frequency of muscle strengthening activity (MSA) and sedentary behaviour] between November 2020 and January 2021. Ordinal logistic regression models were conducted, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Fifteen percent of the sample reported abstinence from drinking. Overall, 23.4% of participants drank ≥4 times/week, 13.9% drank more than 6 units/single drinking occasion (HED), 7.5% reported HED daily/almost daily and 4.2% scored ≥11 on AUDIT-C. MSA 3 days/week compared with no MSA was significantly associated with higher odds of alcohol frequency [OR (95 CI%) = 1.41 (1.04-1.91)], quantity [OR (95 CI%) = 1.38 (1.02-1.87)], HED [OR (95 CI%) = 1.42 (1.05-1.94)] and possible dependence [OR (95 CI%) = 1.47 (1.05-2.06)]. The association of MVPA and sedentary behaviour with drinking measures was not significant (p>0.05). In contrast with previous research, MSA rather than aerobic physical activity was associated with increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is conceivable that during lockdown while drinking was used as a coping strategy, limited opportunities for aerobic exercise made MSA a more convenient form of physical activity. To guide public health interventions, more research is required to examine the temporal relationship between different forms of physical activity and alcohol consumption.

Acceptability and anklet user experience with the SCRAM-CAM transdermal alcohol concentration sensor in regularly drinking young adults' natural environments.

Recent developments in wearable technologies have allowed for device-based capture of alcohol concentration among participants in their natural environments. Currently, the Continuous Alcohol Monitor from SCRAM systems (SCRAM-CAM) is the most extensively studied and validated transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) sensor. However, there has been relatively little work focusing on its acceptability from the participants' perspective. In the current study, we assess the user experience of the SCRAM-CAM anklet in a sample of 222 regularly heavy drinking young adults (mean age=22.3) who wore the anklet in their natural environments for five 24-h periods spanning 6 consecutive days. Differences in the anklet user experience were measured along a number of dimensions, and differences were tested by sex at birth, white/non-white racial/ethnic group membership, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) risk (measured through Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test [AUDIT] scores). Males and females differed significantly on six of the eight acceptability items, with males showing more positive responses toward the anklet than females. No differences were found by white/non-white racial/ethnic groups nor AUD risk. Results suggest positive levels of acceptability toward the device overall while in natural environments, further validating the usage of the device in studies that measure alcohol consumption among different groups, including those with high levels of alcohol consumption. Researchers should take into consideration the different levels of burden or discomfort in male versus female participants when using the device.

The role of civil society organizations in alcohol control during the COVID-19 pandemic across six countries in Africa

BackgroundThe differing global trends in alcohol consumption and policy measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic warrant a closer look at the actions taken by civil society organisations (CSOs) and community-led efforts to describe how they may influence and accelerate action for change in alcohol control measures. This paper analyses actions undertaken by CSOs at the national and local levels to safeguard communities and improve alcohol control policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in six African countries.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was distributed via email to CSOs involved in alcohol prevention, outreach and policy development in Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Individuals (n = 19) working at CSOs responded to the questionnaire from February to March 2022. Questions related to the role of CSOs during the pandemic are analysed and synthesised in this paper. 19 CSOs respondents representing the six countries were included in the study.ResultsAction areas led by CSOs during the COVID-19 pandemic included: (i) direct lobbying advocacy, (ii) conducting public awareness media campaigns and (iii) legal and regulatory interventions linked to the pandemic.ConclusionsGiven the size of the challenges governments faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of CSOs, during the ongoing pandemic and beyond, has become even more relevant to strengthen advocacy and public health interventions for alcohol control in Southern Africa. For this, CSOs should have a “seat at the table” when public health policies are designed, discussed and enforced.

Association between opioid and dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms OPRM1rs1799971, DAT VNTR9-10 repeat allele, DRD1 rs4532 and DRD2 rs1799732 and alcohol dependence: an ethnicity oriented meta-analysis.

We carried out a meta-analysis of four opioid and dopamine candidate gene polymorphisms having conflicting results in prior literature, namely OPRM1 rs1799971, DAT VNTR9-10 repeat, DRD1 rs4532 and DRD2 rs1799732, to clarify their association with alcohol dependence and further stratified results by ethnicity to analyze possible ethnicity-mediated effects. Inclusion criteria: case-control studies assessing the association between OPRM1 rs1799971, DAT VNTR9/10 repeat allele, DRD1 rs4532 and DRD2 rs1799732 with alcohol dependence, with sufficient data available to calculate the odds ratio (OR) within a 95% confidence interval. Exclusion criteria: studies of quantitative measures of alcohol consumption, response to medications or analyses of other markers in the candidate genes, studies without controls, animal studies and lack of genotyping data. Information sources were PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect databases, all of which were searched for articles published till 2021. Heterogeneity between studies and publication bias, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were carried out. A total of 41 published studies were included in the current meta-analysis. For the OPRM1 gene, there was a statistically significant association in the Asian population with a pooled OR of 1.707 (95% CI, 1.32-2.20 P < 0.0001) and 1.618 (95% CI, 1.16-2.26 P = 0.005) in the additive and dominant genetic models. For DAT VNTR 9/10 repeat, a statistically significant association of the risk vs. common allele was observed in AD with a pooled OR of 1.104 (95% CI, 1.00-1.21 P = 0.046) in the allele model and the additive genetic model in the Caucasian population with pooled OR of 1.152 (95% CI, 1.01-1.31 P = 0.034). Results indicate that some of the effects may be ethnicity-specific. The meta-analysis has been registered in the CRD PROSPERO (CRD42023411576).

Drinking alcohol in moderation is associated with lower rate of all-cause mortality in individuals with higher rather than lower educational level: findings from the MORGAM project.

The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and alcohol-related diseases has been widely explored. Less is known, however, on whether the association of moderate drinking with all-cause mortality is modified by educational level (EL). Using harmonized data from 16 cohorts in the MORGAM Project (N = 142,066) the association of pattern of alcohol intake with hazard of all-cause mortality across EL (lower = primary-school; middle = secondary-school; higher = university/college degree) was assessed using multivariable Cox-regression and spline curves. A total of 16,695 deaths occurred in 11.8years (median). In comparison with life-long abstainers, participants drinking 0.1-10g/d of ethanol had 13% (HR = 0.87; 95%CI: 0.74-1.02), 11% (HR = 0.89; 0.84-0.95) and 5% (HR = 0.95; 0.89-1.02) lower rate of death in higher, middle and lower EL, respectively. Conversely, drinkers > 20g/d had 1% (HR = 1.01; 0.82-1.25), 10% (HR = 1.10; 1.02-1.19) and 17% (HR = 1.17; 1.09-1.26) higher rate of death. The association of alcohol consumption with all-cause mortality was nonlinear, with a different J-shape by EL levels. It was consistent across both sexes and in various approaches of measuring alcohol consumption, including combining quantity and frequency and it was more evident when the beverage of preference was wine. We observed that drinking in moderation (≤ 10g/d) is associated with lower mortality rate more evidently in individuals with higher EL than in people with lower EL, while heavy drinking is associated with higher mortality rate more evidently in individuals with lower EL than in people with higher EL, suggesting that advice on reducing alcohol intake should especially target individuals of low EL.

Development and validation of a model for measuring alcohol consumption from transdermal alcohol content data among college students.

Transdermal alcohol content (TAC) data collected by wearable alcohol monitors could potentially contribute to alcohol research, but raw data from the devices are challenging to interpret. We aimed to develop and validate a model using TAC data to detect alcohol drinking. We used a model development and validation study design. Indiana, USA PARTICIPANTS: In March to April 2021, we enrolled 84 college students who reported drinking at least once a week (median age = 20 years, 73% white, 70% female). We observed participants' alcohol drinking behavior for 1week. Participants wore BACtrack Skyn monitors (TAC data), provided self-reported drinking start times in real time (smartphone app) and completed daily surveys about their prior day of drinking. We developed a model using signal filtering, peak detection algorithm, regression and hyperparameter optimization. The input was TAC and outputs were alcohol drinking frequency, start time and magnitude. We validated the model using daily surveys (internal validation) and data collected from college students in 2019 (external validation). Participants (N = 84) self-reported 213 drinking events. Monitors collected 10915 hours of TAC. In internal validation, the model had a sensitivity of 70.9% (95% CI = 64.1%-77.0%) and a specificity of 73.9% (68.9%-78.5%) in detecting drinking events. The median absolute time difference between self-reported and model-detected drinking start times was 59 min. Mean absolute error (MAE) for the reported and detected number of drinks was 2.8 drinks. In an exploratory external validation among five participants, number of drinking events, sensitivity, specificity, median time difference and MAE were 15%, 67%, 100%, 45 minutes and 0.9 drinks, respectively. Our model's output was correlated with breath alcohol concentration data (Spearman's correlation [95% CI] = 0.88 [0.77, 0.94]). This study, the largest of its kind to date, developed and validated a model for detecting alcohol drinking using transdermal alcohol content data collected with a new generation of alcohol monitors. The model and its source code are available as Supporting Information (https://osf.io/xngbk).

Alcohol Consumption and Measures of Sarcopenic Muscle Risk: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Associations Within the UK Biobank Study

Alcohol intake is a major modifiable risk factor for many diseases. Alcohol can also damage skeletal muscle health during ageing which in turn increases risk of sarcopenia, frailty and falls but this relationship is understudied. The aim of this study was to model the relationship between a full range of alcohol consumption and components of sarcopenic risk, skeletal muscle mass and function, in middle-aged and younger older-aged men and women. A cross-sectional analyses was undertaken of 196,561 white participants from the UK Biobank with longitudinal analysis also in 12,298 of these participants, with outcome measures for the latter repeated after around four years. For the cross-sectional analysis fractional polynomial curves were fitted in models of measures of skeletal muscle mass, appendicular lean mass/body mass index (ALM/BMI), fat-free mass as a percentage of body weight (FFM%) and grip strength, all predicted from alcohol consumption with models fitted for men and women separately. Alcohol consumption at baseline was based on the mean of up to five dietary recalls, typically over 16 months. Linear regression was used for longitudinal analyses to model the effects of alcohol consumption groups on these measures. All models were adjusted for covariates. In the cross-sectional analysis, modelled values of the muscle mass measures all showed a peak at medium levels of alcohol consumption and a steep decline with increasing alcohol consumption. Modelled differences in muscle mass from zero consumption of alcohol to 160 g/d ranged from 3.6 to 4.9% for ALM/BMI for men and women, respectively, and 3.6 to 6.1% for FFM%. Grip strength consistently increased with alcohol consumption. No association between alcohol consumption and muscle measures were seen in the longitudinal results. Our results suggest that higher levels of alcohol consumption could have detrimental effects on muscle mass in middle- and older-aged men and women.

Development and validation of the C-SHADE scale for measuring perpetration of common sexually harassing and aggressive behaviors in drinking environments.

Sexual aggression (SA) is ubiquitous in drinking environments. Although such behavior is often seen as normal and acceptable, the targets of SA experience many negative consequences. This research aimed to develop a valid measure of common acts of SA in drinking settings for estimating prevalence and evaluating prevention initiatives. We developed a questionnaire measure of common acts of sexual harassment and aggression in drinking environments (C-SHADE) based on descriptions of SA behavior from our own and others' research. The measure was validated in a cross-sectional survey of 335 men aged 19 to 25 using webpanels from an online survey company. Validation measures included: a modified version of the Sexual Experiences Survey (M-SES), measures of SA by peers in drinking environments, SA-related attitudes, expectancies about sexual effects of alcohol, and alcohol consumption. The C-SHADE showed high internal consistency (α = 0.96) and was significantly correlated with M-SES (r = 0.52), SA by peers (r = 0.61 to 0.70), SA-related attitudes/expectations (r = 0.38 to 0.55), and measures of alcohol consumption (r = 0.22 to 0.36). Overall, 71.9% of participants reported SA using the C-SHADE versus 24.7% with the M-SES. We compared the responses of participants who reported perpetration on both measures (N = 83), on only the C-SHADE (N = 141), and among nonperpetrators (N = 89; excluding four participants who reported perpetration only on the M-SES). The M-SES/C-SHADE perpetrators scored significantly higher than C-SHADE-only perpetrators and nonperpetrators on most SA-related and drinking measures, while C-SHADE-only perpetrators scored significantly higher than nonperpetrators on peer SA and two attitude measures. The C-SHADE is suitable for measuring prevalence and evaluating interventions in drinking settings. The C-SHADE confirmed a high prevalence of SA in drinking settings and identified an important group of C-SHADE-only perpetrators for whom interventions that focus on situational precipitators of SA in drinking settings may be especially useful.