Alcohol Use Risk Research Articles

The hidden risks of alcohol use for pain relief.

The hidden risks of alcohol use for pain relief.

Perinatal alcohol use among young women living with HIV in South Africa: Context, experiences, and implications for interventions

ABSTRACT Perinatal alcohol use is common in South Africa, including among young women living with HIV (WLHIV), but there are few insights into the drivers of alcohol use in this population. Following the completion of a pilot trial of a peer support intervention for WLHIV aged 16–24 years in Cape Town, we purposively selected participants who had reported perinatal alcohol use at ≥1 study visits to complete a qualitative in-depth interview exploring their experiences of substance use. Of 119 women enrolled, 28 reported alcohol use, and 24 were interviewed, with ≥1/3 reporting drinking throughout their pregnancy. Women described living in a community where heavy perinatal alcohol consumption is normalised, including among their peers, leading to social pressure. Despite being aware of the risks of perinatal alcohol use, women described a disconnect between public health messaging and their experiences. Although most acknowledged the negative effects of alcohol in their lives, self-efficacy to reduce consumption was diminished by peer influences and the lack of formal employment and opportunities for recreation. These findings provide insights into the drivers of perinatal alcohol use in this setting, and suggest that without meaningful community-level changes, including employment opportunities and alternatives for socialising, interventions may have limited impact.

Cannabis Use and Perceptions Among Current and Former Military Service Members.

Research indicates separation from the military may result in increased risk of alcohol use. However, there is little data on cannabis use among military service members, particularly when examining the period after separation from military service. This research examines cannabis-related perceptions and use among U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard (USAR/NG) current and former soldiers. Data come from Operation: SAFETY (Soldiers And Families Excelling Through the Years), an ongoing study examining health among male and female USAR/NG soldiers. The current sample was comprised of 401 current and former USAR/NG soldiers. Logistic regression models examined the associations between past-year cannabis use, military status (i.e., current versus former), attitudes towards recreational cannabis, perceived ease of access, and perceived risk of cannabis use, while controlling for age, problematic alcohol use, and current cigarette smoking. Overall, 7.4% of current and 20.3% of former military service members used cannabis in the past year. Favorable attitudes towards cannabis use and perceived ease of accessing cannabis were associated with increased odds of use among all soldiers. In adjusted models, former military members had greater odds (AOR = 5.28, 95% CI = 2.16, 12.87) of past-year cannabis use compared to current service members. Findings indicate that separation from the military may be an important risk factor to consider when assessing cannabis use in the military. Additional research is needed to examine socioenvironmental factors (e.g., access to post-deployment support services and healthcare, state legalization laws, other behavioral health conditions) that contribute to former service members' cannabis use.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Hospital Admissions for Alcohol-related Liver Disease and Pancreatitis in Western Sydney.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Hospital Admissions for Alcohol-related Liver Disease and Pancreatitis in Western Sydney.

Addiction among Health Care Professionals? What is the Current State of Nurses, Caregivers and Paramedics in 2022? A Review

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on organizations, health care professionals and of course patient care. The ability of health care facilities and their personnel to deliver safe, quality care was tested under particularly stressful conditions over the past two years. Health care workers represent a vulnerable population, especially during periods of high demand such as a major pandemic. This may in turn be associated with an increased risk of alcohol and substance use, abuse and disorders. There exists a correlation between psychotropic drug use and ensuing job difficulties increasing professional and emotional exhaustion among health care professionals.

Family Cohesion and Relationship Quality in Defence Force Families: Rapid Review

Objective: Retention of serving members in the military may be increased through targeted psycho-social support of their families and dependents. This Defence funded study aimed to provide updated evidence on associations between current military service and the well-being of the member’s couple and relationships, to inform policy and practice. We conducted a rapid review of family and couple relationship qualities, comparing current serving samples with civilian, never-serving families. Method: We followed the Cochrane Rapid Review Method, searching publications from 2000. Outcomes were limited to modifiable factors of importance for policy related decision-making. Results: Four search strategies were constructed in Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Cochrane CENTRAL. The review, in two parts, identified over 15,000 articles, of which only seven met the review criteria. The dearth of research identified reflected predominant focus on veteran rather than currently serving samples, and absence of comparison to a civilian group. We therefore also examined individual studies that closely approximated the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: The collated evidence offered four main findings: 1) A significant decrease in marital satisfaction for men and women with progressing stages of deployment; 2) Consistently higher prevalence of intimate partner violence for military versus civilian samples, growing with length of deployment, and mediated by histories childhood abuse or neglect; 3) Increased risk of psychological distress and problematic alcohol use by spouses of serving members, and 4) Barriers to engagement in therapeutic programs for military couples. Practice implications for screening and policy implications for targeted prevention efforts are discussed.

The Associations of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) With Substance Use in Young Adults: A Systematic Review.

Young adulthood is a transitional period between adolescence and adulthood. Due to the unique pressures of taking on a new social role and associated uncertainties, young adults are at heightened risk for drug and alcohol use. Furthermore, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increases the likelihood of using maladaptive coping strategies such as using substances to avoid or soothe negative emotions. The current review aimed to summarize the associations between exposure to ACEs before the age of 18 years and subsequent drug or alcohol use between the ages of 18 and 25 years. The review was performed in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The literature search of the Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases was conducted in February 2022. The initial search yielded 7178 articles, with 777 duplicates. Consequently, 6401 titles were inspected for relevance. After reading the full text, 88 articles were included in the review. This review provides clear evidence that exposure to multiple ACEs is a robust risk factor for the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs by young adults. Poor self-regulation and maladaptive coping strategies were identified as mechanisms explaining this link; however, further detailed research is needed.

Pain Intensity Moderates the Association between Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Problematic Alcohol Use among Emerging Adults

Objective: Emerging adulthood is a vulnerable period for problematic alcohol use, defined by a pattern of use associated with physical and functional impairment. Obsessive-compulsive psychopathology, which demonstrates high rates of onset in emerging adults, seems to be related to problematic alcohol use in this age group, consistent with research among the general population suggesting an association between emotional disorders and alcohol use in the context of coping drinking motives. Pain intensity, another risk factor of problematic alcohol use, may link obsessive-compulsive symptoms to problematic alcohol use among emerging adults. Therefore, the current study examined the moderating role of pain intensity on the association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and problematic alcohol use among emerging adults. Methods: Participants were 198 college students (81.30% female, M age = 22.33, SD = 4.38) who reported problematic alcohol use. Results: Results from the current study supported a significant moderation role of pain intensity for the association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and problematic alcohol use, whereby the association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and problematic alcohol use was stronger for emerging adults with high compared to low pain intensity. Conclusions: These results highlighted a clinically-relevant interaction between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and pain intensity concerning the risk of problematic alcohol use among emerging adults as a vulnerable population.

Levels and Pattern of Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents in Bolivia: A National Cross-Sectional Survey in 2018

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of four alcohol use indicators among male and female school adolescents in Bolivia. In total, 7931 participants (M = 15.5 years, SD = 1.6) responded to a questionnaire in a cross-sectional nationally representative school survey in Bolivia in 2018. The proportion of current alcohol use was 26.4%, heavy alcohol use 11.1%, ever having been drunk 24.1%, and trouble resulting from alcohol use 21.4%. Among boys, older age, current cannabis use, multiple sexual partners, being in a physical fight, school truancy, soft drink intake, injury and psychological distress increased the risk of current alcohol use and/or heavy drinking. Among girls, older age, multiple sexual partners, fast food intake, being in a physical fight, school truancy, sedentary behaviour and psychological distress increased the risk of current alcohol use and/or heavy drinking. Older age, multiple sexual partners, current cannabis use, low parental support and school truancy were associated with trouble from alcohol use and history of intoxication in both sexes. Among boys, ever having used amphetamines, fast food intake, injury, peer support, and being in a physical fight were associated with ever having been drunk; and among girls, sedentary behaviour and psychological distress increased the odds of ever having been drunk. The study found that more than one in ten adolescents engage in heavy alcohol use, and several sex specific factors are identified for four alcohol use indicators.

Marital Quality and Alcohol Use among Couples in Mid- and Later-Life.

Spouses influence one another's drinking behavior, but little research has explored how relationship quality may impact older couples' alcohol use. Using data from the 2014-2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and actor-partner interdependence models, we examined how marital quality is related to total alcohol consumption and risk of heavy drinking for married couples over age 50. Neither husbands' nor wives' perceptions of negative marital quality were related to changes in heavy drinking or number of drinks consumed over the observation period. However, wives' positive marital quality was associated with increased risk of heavy alcohol use for both wives and husbands, and with an increase in the number of drinks wives consume over time. Couples over age 50 do not appear to use alcohol as a way of coping with negative marital relationships, but rather may increase their drinking in the context of positive relationships.

Child Sexual Abuse, Alcohol and Other Drug use and the Criminal Justice System: The Meanings of Trauma in Survivor Narratives for a National Royal Commission.

Adverse childhood experiences, including childhood sexual abuse, have significant immediate and lifelong effects including higher risks of alcohol and other drug use and contact with the criminal justice system. The concept of trauma to describe adverse experiences and later behaviours provides potential to reshape prevention and responses for victims. We draw on survivor accounts to a national enquiry, the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, to examine the ways in which trauma is narrated in adverse childhood experiences, alcohol and other drug use and contact with the criminal justice system, and how trauma is interpreted by others in the context of policy and legal findings. These accounts showed damaging and unjust experiences of childhood, which were compounded by subsequent contact with the criminal justice system. Trauma seems to be important to both the experienced narrated by survivors and the synthesising of these experiences into narratives. National enquiries play important roles in listening to survivors and advocating for reform. There is a risk, however, that they will fail to result in substantive change, and function primarily as a forum for bearing witness to trauma, but not preventing it.

Application of the acquired preparedness model for alcohol and cigarette use among reserve-dwelling first nation adolescents.

North American Indigenous youth experience disproportionate harm associated with alcohol and cigarette use compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The Acquired Preparedness Model (APM), developed and tested in primarily White samples, hypothesizes that urgency contributes to risk for substance use by influencing the degree to which adolescents attend to positive aspects of substance use, leading to the development of more positive expectations about the consequences of substance use, and increasing subsequent substance use. The purpose of the present study was to provide an initial test of whether the APM generalizes to understanding alcohol and cigarette use among high-risk First Nation adolescents. First Nation adolescents (n = 106, Mage = 14.6, 50.0% female) recruited from reserve communities in Eastern Canada completed self-report measures as part of a larger community-based participatory research project. Procedures were approved by tribal chief, council, and university IRB. The hypothesized model demonstrated excellent fit for alcohol use, χ²(1) = 1.07, p = .30, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = .03, SRMR = .02, and adequate fit for cigarette use, χ²(1) = 2.58, p = .11, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.12, SRMR = 0.03. The indirect effects of urgency on alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking through alcohol and cigarette expectancies were each significant. Findings of the present study provide initial support for the generalizability of the APM in understanding risk for alcohol and cigarette use among reserve-dwelling First Nation youth. The next important step is to replicate this finding in a prospective sample. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Mental health challenges and perceived risks among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya

BackgroundFemale sex workers (FSWs) in Kenya are at an increased risk of violence, poverty, police arrest, and problematic alcohol and other substance use, all of which are linked to poor mental health and suicidal ideation. Despite the psychological stressors experienced by FSWs, there is no published qualitative methods research investigating their mental health experiences in Kenya. In this paper, we draw on data from in-depth interviews to examine FSWs’ lifetime mental health experiences and perceived risk factors.MethodsWe used baseline in-depth interviews of the Maisha Fiti longitudinal study of FSWs in Nairobi. We randomly selected 40 FSWs from 1003 FSWs who attended a baseline behavioural-biological interview as part of the Maisha Fiti study. The interview guide was semi-structured, and participants were asked to detail their life stories, including narrating specific events such as entry into sex work, experiences of violence, mental health experiences, and use of alcohol and other substances. Interviews were recorded in Kiswahili/ English and transcribed in English. Data were coded and thematically analysed in Nvivo (v.12).ResultsResults indicated that the majority of participants understood ‘mental health’ as ‘insanity’, ‘stress’, ‘depression’, and ‘suicide’; nevertheless, a number described mental health symptomatically, while a few believed that mental health problems were caused by witchcraft. Interestingly, poverty, low levels of education, poor job opportunities, a lack of family support, harmful gender norms, intimate partner violence and subsequent relationship breakdowns, and family bereavement all contributed to poor mental health and subsequent entry into sex work. In addition, the consequences of sex work such as sexual risks, and ongoing violence from police and clients, further exacerbated poor mental health.ConclusionsThere is a need for both micro- and macro interventions to address poverty and violence against FSWs in Kenya, thereby reducing mental health problems. Addressing violence against women and girls may also reduce entry into sex work. Improving mental health literacy and providing mental health intervention services for ‘at-risk’ populations such as FSWs should enhance coping strategies and help-seeking efficacy.

A Prospective Cohort of Alcohol Use and Alcohol-related Problems Before and After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents.

To describe alcohol use, alcohol-related harm, and alcohol-related problems preoperatively and up to 8 years following metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) in adolescents. Risk for alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUD) increases post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and vertical sleeve gastrectomy in adults. However, data are lacking in adolescents who undergo MBS. This study includes 217 adolescents (aged 13-19y) enrolled in a 5-center prospective cohort study who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or vertical sleeve gastrectomy (2007-2011) and reported alcohol use preoperatively and annually postoperatively for up to 8 years. Time to elevated Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) score, alcohol-related harm, and alcohol-related problems were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier estimates of cumulative incidence. Preoperatively, the median age was 17 years; the median body mass index was 51kg/m 2 . Alcohol use frequency and average quantity of drinks per drinking day increased postoperatively (2% consumed alcohol 2-4 times/month 6 months versus 24% 8 years postoperatively, P <0.001; 2% consumed≥3 drinks per drinking day 6 months versus 35% 8 years postoperatively, P <0.001). Cumulative incidence of postoperative onset elevated AUDIT-C score, alcohol-related harm, and alcohol-related problems at year 8 were 45% (95% CI:37-53), 43% (95% CI:36-51), and 47% (95% CI:40-55), respectively. Nearly half of those who underwent MBS as adolescents screened positively for AUD, symptoms of alcohol-related harm, or alcohol-related problems 8 years post-MBS, highlighting the risk for alcohol use and AUD after MBS in adolescents. AUD evaluation and treatment should be integrated into routine long-term care for adolescents undergoing MBS.

Sleep disturbance and problematic alcohol use: Examination of sex and race differences

ObjectivesDisrupted sleep is prevalent and related to problematic alcohol use. While sex and race disparities exist in both sleep disturbances and problematic alcohol use, whether the association between disrupted sleep and problematic alcohol use is similar across sex and race is unknown. The present study sought to examine sex and race invariance in the association between disrupted sleep and problematic alcohol use.MethodsSecondary analyses of baseline data from a randomized clinical trial targeting heavy drinking in primary care facilities. Participants completed four individual sleep questions (sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and sleep medication use), along with sex-specific measures of problematic alcohol use (i.e., CAGE and T-ACE). A structural equation model (SEM) was used to examine the association between a latent sleep disturbance construct and problematic alcohol use, as well as potential sex and race invariance of this association.ResultsParticipants included 1,448 adults (76.59% female, 76.73% Black, Mage = 44.78, SD = 12.35). The majority of the sample reported one or more sleep disturbance symptoms and 31.84% of participants screened positive for problematic alcohol use. Greater sleep disturbance was significantly associated with a greater risk of problematic alcohol use (β = 0.18, p &amp;lt; 0.001), and did not differ by either sex or race.ConclusionsDisrupted sleep is associated with problematic alcohol use, across sex and race. Sleep interventions may hold promise as treatment augments in individuals with problematic alcohol use.

Young adult birthday celebrations as windows of risk for alcohol and cannabis use: 21st birthdays compared to other young adult birthdays.

Alcohol use among college students during 21st birthday celebrations constitutes a well-known example of event-specific drinking when alcohol use is both pervasive and heavy. Less is known about how 21st birthday alcohol use compares to other birthday celebrations during young adulthood, whether similar increases occur for cannabis use on 21st birthdays, and whether the "21st birthday effect" is similar for noncollege young adults. Alcohol and cannabis use during 19th to 25th birthday celebrations were explored among college and noncollege students. Participants were 720 young adults of ages 18 to 23 (M = 21.1, SD = 1.7) at enrollment who completed 24 monthly surveys, and 204 reported on a 21st birthday. Participants resided in a state where cannabis was legal and were asked the month following their birthday whether they engaged in alcohol and cannabis use as part of their birthday celebration. Multilevel models found a 21st birthday effect for alcohol use as individuals consumed over twice as many drinks on their 21st birthday than would have been expected given age trends in birthday drinking, and this effect held for college and noncollege students. A 21st birthday effect for cannabis was not found. 21st birthday celebrations represent a high-risk drinking event for young adults in general, and the current findings suggest event-specific prevention programs targeting all young adults turning 21 are warranted. Unlike alcohol where turning 21 is associated with socially and culturally normative use, a similar 21st birthday effect was not found for cannabis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Health in refugees and migrants who self-identify as sexual or gender minority

Abstract Background In 2019, 80 million individuals were forcibly displaced. Yet, there is little knowledge on the health of refugees and migrants who self-identify as sexual- or gender minority (SGM). The aim was to examine health and health-related behaviors in refugee and migrant individuals who identify as SGM, and in comparison, to their heterosexual peers. Methods This study included 168,952 persons aged 16-84 who answered the Swedish National Public Health Survey in 2018 and 2020. Participants were grouped into White heterosexual, White SGM, migrant heterosexual, migrant SGM, refugee heterosexual, and refugee SGM. Outcomes included mental health (f.e. mental ill-health, suicidal ideation), general health, risky behaviors (f.e drug and alcohol use), and experiences of violence. Associations were analyzed using logistic and linear regression adjusting for sex, age, and educational level. Results Being an SGM, regardless of refugee or migrant minority status, was associated with worse general health and mental ill-health compared to heterosexual peers including suicidal ideation in refugee SGM (OR 2.42, 95 % CI 1.44-4.08). Both refugees and migrants had for example lower odds of drug and risk alcohol use compared to heterosexual peers but higher odds of risk gambling (OR 1.88, 1.49-2.37 for refugee SGM). Transgender refugees had high odds for risk gambling (OR 8.62, 1.94-38.40) and exposure to physical violence (OR 7.46, 2.97-18.70). Conclusions In this national population-based study, SGM have worse mental and general health regardless of being refugee or migrant minority. SGM refugees did not have worse health compared to migrant and White SGM and their heterosexual peers. While more research is needed, our study shows the need for public health personnel to be aware of potentially worse health and adverse experiences in SGM individuals, regardless of ethnic origin including refugees. Key messages • Our study provides evidence for poorer health outcomes in diverse SGM-groups. • Policies tackling health in refugees and SGM are still inadequate.

Strategies to Improve Measurement of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Among Youth

Understanding the experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM)1 youth is essential for developing policies and programs aimed at improving their health and quality of life. Because SGM youth are more likely than their cisgender and heterosexual peers to experience stigma, discrimination, family disapproval, and social rejection, they are at a significantly higher risk of bullying, violence, drug and alcohol use, sexually transmitted infections, depression, and attempted suicide [1,2]. Family support and social acceptance, however, are linked to better wellbeing for SGM youth, highlighting the need for improved data collection on the factors that shape the social, economic, and health outcomes of SGM youth in the United States.

1.97 Adverse Childhood Experiences and Alcohol Use and Misuse: Testing the Impact of Traditional and Expanded Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Youth Transitioning Into Adulthood

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which are potentially traumatic stressors that occur during childhood and adolescence, have been associated with an increased risk of adolescent alcohol use and misuse—a risky health behavior that has detrimental effects on health across the life span. The 10 stressors traditionally assessed in the ACEs literature (T-ACEs) overlook exposures that are particularly relevant to the experiences of racial/ethnic minorities, such as experiencing racism. An expanded set of ACEs (E-ACEs) encompasses adversities that are particularly relevant to socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse populations.

23.2 Problematic Alcohol Use in Adulthood As a Function of ADHD in Childhood, Parental Knowledge in Adolescence, and Impairment in Young Adulthood

Children with ADHD are at increased risk for alcohol-related problems in adulthood (Lee et al, 2011). Research examining this risk in adolescence and young adulthood has described mediational pathways through ADHD symptom persistence, delinquency, and social and academic impairment (Molina et al, 2012; 2014), with stronger associations when parents are less well informed about their teen’s daily activities. Whether these processes extend into adulthood is unknown. This study tested whether young adult functioning and ADHD symptom persistence continued to mediate ADHD-related risk for problematic alcohol use at age 30 years and whether parenting in adolescence exerted lasting effects.