Increased Alcohol Use Research Articles

Severe alcohol withdrawal during pregnancy or early postpartum: maternal and fetal outcomes.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) during pregnancy is under-researched despite growing concerns about increased alcohol use among pregnant women. This study aims to explore the severity of AWS and its impact on maternal and fetal outcomes. This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of patients admitted to the Mayo Clinic who underwent the CIWA-Ar protocol for AWS from June 2019 through June 2022. Pregnant women identified in this cohort had their pregnancy, labor, and neonatal data analyzed for alcohol-related complications and outcomes. Out of the medical records reviewed, 8 cases involved pregnant women experiencing AWS. These cases showed a high severity of withdrawal symptoms, with a median peak CIWA-Ar score of 17 (IQR = 14). Maternal complications included a high rate of ICU admissions (37.5%; n = 3) and significant rates of miscarriage and stillbirth (37.5%; n = 3). Fetal outcomes were concerning, with 1 out of 5 (20%) neonates requiring NICU admission and experiencing conditions such as respiratory failure and neonatal abstinence syndrome. Developmental problems were noted in 2 out of 5 (40%) newborns. The findings highlight the severe implications of AWS during pregnancy, impacting both maternal and fetal health. The severity of AWS requires attentive clinical management and preventative interventions. Future research should focus on larger, prospective studies to better understand and address the risks associated with AWS in pregnant women and to improve health outcomes for mothers and their children. • Severe AWS during pregnancy leads to high ICU admissions and adverse neonatal outcomes. • 37.5% of pregnant women with AWS experienced miscarriage or stillbirth. • 20% of newborns from mothers with AWS required NICU admission for serious conditions; 40% of newborns had developmental problems. • Findings underscore the need for specialized treatment protocols to improve outcomes for pregnant women and their newborns.

An experimental investigation into the impact of acute stress on alcohol craving.

Drinking to cope is associated with many negative alcohol-related outcomes among college students, such as increased alcohol use, drinking-related problems, and alcohol use disorders. Previous experimental studies have shown that students exposed to a stressor, compared to those not exposed to a stressor, drink more and have stronger urges to drink, presumably to cope with the stressor. However, no such study has tested this effect using a remote-based stressor, which may be more common for students because of the recent increase in online learning. As such, the present study aimed to (a) test the impact of an acute stressor on state anxiety and alcohol craving and (b) investigate trait-level drinking characteristics as potential moderators of the impact of the acute stressor. Participants were 137 (Mage = 19.9, SDage = 2.0; 82.5% female; 41.6% White) college students who consumed alcohol in the past month. Using a between-subjects experimental design, we assigned participants randomly to an experimental (i.e., acute stress) condition or control (i.e., neutral) condition, and they completed a premanipulation battery of alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors and a postmanipulation measure of alcohol craving. On average, participants in the experimental condition reported greater increases in anxiety than those in the control condition, but there were no differences found in alcohol craving. However, for both anxiety and craving, greater increases from pre- to postmanipulation were found when trait-level anxiety and trait-level drinking were high, respectively. Thus, heavier drinking college students may be at greater risk for craving alcohol in response to stress than those who typically drink less. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Developing an explanatory model of alcohol misuse among South Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda: A qualitative study

BackgroundAlcohol misuse is a significant health problem among forcibly displaced populations including male South Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda, yet interventions are sorely lacking. Developing an explanatory model of alcohol misuse in this population is the first step to designing appropriate and effective interventions. The aim of the current study was to examine alcohol misuse in this setting and to conceptualize an explanatory model of alcohol misuse. MethodA total of 57 interviews were conducted with male refugees (18+ years) with alcohol misuse (n=17), their family members (n=15), community and religious leaders (n=15), and mental health and psychosocial support providers (n=10) in Rhino Camp settlement in northern Uganda. A thematic analysis approach was used to inductively analyze the data. ResultsAlcohol misuse was identified as a significant psychosocial problem among men in this setting. The adversity (e.g. trauma, loss, poverty), psychological distress (e.g. demoralization), perpetuators (e.g. ease of availability of alcohol, family conflict), and consequences of alcohol use (e.g. interpartner violence, exacerbated poverty) were identified. An explanatory model emerged from the data showing a reinforcing relationship in which adversity causes psychological distress, which leads to increased alcohol use via a number of personal, interpersonal, community and societal perpetuators, and over time increased alcohol use amplifies psychological distress which further increases alcohol misuse. ConclusionsGiven the need to address alcohol misuse in this population, this explanatory model of alcohol misuse can be used to inform prevention and treatment interventions for alcohol misuse. These interventions should endeavor to address the identified determinants of alcohol misuse while being cognizant of the social and cultural considerations specific to males in this population.

Punishment and Reward Sensitivity in Risk-Taking as Potential Mechanisms Explaining the Relationships Between Childhood Callous-Unemotional Traits and Adolescent Substance Use in a Longitudinal Cohort Study Sample.

Childhood callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with a neurocognitive response style of high reward and low punishment sensitivity, which may make these children particularly vulnerable to substance misuse. However, the mechanisms explaining the link between CU traits and substance use are poorly understood. This study investigated the mediating influences of reward and punishment sensitivity on the association between childhood CU traits and adolescent substance use. Using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the potential indirect effects of age 14 reward and punishment sensitivity in risk-taking on the relationships between age 11 CU traits and alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit drug use at age 17. No direct effects of CU traits on substance use were found when accounting for gender, baseline alcohol use, poverty, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and verbal ability at age 11. Indirect effects of increased reward sensitivity on the relationship between CU traits and increased use were seen for alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. There was a significant indirect effect of reduced punishment sensitivity on the relationship between CU traits and increased alcohol use, but not cannabis or other substance use. Findings suggest that reward and punishment sensitivity may have independent effects on decision-making processes contributing to adolescent substance use. Prevention and early intervention for substance use should consider modifying intervention strategies to fit the needs of adolescents with a callous interpersonal style and a neurocognitive profile characterized by a high drive for rewards and low risk aversion.

How did the depression and anxiety levels of older New Zealanders change during the COVID-19 pandemic?

ABSTRACT There has been widespread concern about the mental health impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak. Fears have been raised that depression and anxiety among older people may have increased in the pandemic, and that adverse health behaviours, such as increased alcohol use and decreased physical activity, may have contributed to the mental health decline. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety, alcohol use and physical activity scores of people aged 55 and older in New Zealand over the initial months of the pandemic. The sample included 3,171 people who responded to wave 7 (August-November 2018) and wave 8 (June-September 2020) of the Health, Work and Retirement Study. Analyses were carried out using paired t tests and multilevel mediation modelling. There was no evidence of significant changes in depression or anxiety. Alcohol use and physical activity were shown to decrease significantly, albeit to a small degree, and there was evidence of an indirect effect of time on depression via physical activity. These findings suggest a general resilience among older people 3 to 6 months into the pandemic. However, increased attention should be paid to promoting physical exercise among older people, as a means of decreasing depression risk.

Alcohol Associated Hepatitis Trends Before and Following the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Two Distinct Cohorts in the United States and Hong Kong

Background and AimsAlcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) burden has been rising globally, fueled by increases in high-risk alcohol use following the COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to evaluate trends in annual incidence of alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) before and following onset of the COVID-19 pandemic across two geographically distinct populations in the U.S. and Hong Kong. MethodsUsing U.S. national Veterans Affairs (VA) data and Hong Kong territory-wide data, trends in annual incidence of AH were evaluated from 2000 to 2023. AH was identified using a combination of ICD-9/10 diagnostic codes, laboratory data, and available alcohol use data. ResultsAmong the VA, annual incidence of AH rose steadily from 39.4 to 53.7 per 100,000-persons (2010 to 2020), then declined to 36.2 per 100,000-persons in 2023. Annual AH incidence was substantially lower in Hong Kong, but demonstrated similar trends, peaking at 0.28 per 100,000-persons during the first year of the pandemic. Among both cohorts, incidence of AH was significantly higher in men vs. women, but particularly for the VA cohort, the rise in AH incidence was more rapid in women. Among both cohorts, the highest incidence of AH in 2023 was among the age 40-49 years group (VA: 72.7 per 100,000-persons; Hong Kong: 1.89 per 100,000-persons). ConclusionsWe provide a comprehensive analysis of epidemiological trends in AH incidence across two distinct populations, highlighting the need for continued awareness of targeted interventions to curb unhealthy alcohol use and its complications. Impact and ImplicationsAlcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is a severe complication of high-risk alcohol use associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Increasing alcohol use fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to parallel increases in alcohol-related co-morbidities. The current study provides a comprehensive analysis of trends in the incidence of AH across two distinct world regions before and following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Better identifying epidemiological trends in AH incidence as well as highlighting populations most effected can help target public health resources and health system interventions to address the dangers of high-risk alcohol use more effectively.

Reward neurocircuitry predicts longitudinal changes in alcohol use following trauma exposure

BackgroundTrauma is a risk factor for developing maladaptive alcohol use. Preclinical research has shown that stress alters the processing of midbrain and striatal reward and incentive signals. However, little research has been conducted on alterations in reward-related neurocircuitry post-trauma in humans. Neuroimaging markers may be particularly useful as they can provide insight into the mechanisms that may make an individual vulnerable to developing trauma-related psychopathologies. This study aimed to identify reward-related neural correlates associated with changes in alcohol use after trauma exposure. MethodsParticipants were recruited from U.S. emergency departments for the AURORA study (N=286, 178 female). Trauma-related change in alcohol use at 8 weeks post-trauma relative to pre-trauma was quantified as a change in 30-day total drinking per the PhenX Toolkit Alcohol 30-Day Quantity and Frequency Measure. Reward-related neurocircuitry activation and functional connectivity (FC) were assessed 2 weeks post-trauma using fMRI during a monetary reward task using region of interest and whole-brain voxelwise analyses. ResultsGreater increase in alcohol use from pre-trauma to 8 weeks post-trauma was predicted by (1) greater ventral tegmental area (VTA) and (2) greater cerebellum activation during Gain>Loss trials measured 2 weeks post-trauma and (3) greater seed-based FC between the VTA and lateral occipital cortex and precuneus. ConclusionsAltered VTA activation and FC early post-trauma may be associated with reward-seeking and processing, contributing to greater alcohol use post-trauma. These data provide novel evidence of neural correlates that underlie increased alcohol use early post-trauma that may be targeted via early interventions to prevent the development of maladaptive alcohol use.

COVID-19 Stress Is Associated with Increased Smoking among People with HIV in Western Washington: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background. People living with HIV (PWH) frequently have co-morbid substance use disorders that may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined associations between COVID-related stress and increased substance use among PWH in Washington State. Methods. Between August 2020 and March 2021, we conducted an online survey of 397 PWH in western Washington. Logistic regression was used to analyze associations between a COVID-19 stress score and four self-reported outcomes: increased alcohol use, increased cigarette smoking, increased marijuana use, and increased use of illicit substances. Results. Thirty-five (38.0%) of 92 participants who smoked, 61 (23.4%) of 261 participants who used alcohol, 15 (14.6%) of 103 participants who used marijuana, and 35 (33.0%) of 102 participants who used illicit substances reported increased use of these substances. Higher COVID-19 stress scores were associated with higher odds of increased cigarette smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.27), even after adjustment for anxiety and depressive symptoms (aOR 1.14, 95%CI: 1.03–1.27). COVID-19 stress was not associated with an increased use of alcohol, marijuana, or illicit substances. Conclusions. COVID-19-related stress was associated with self-reported increased cigarette smoking among PWH in western Washington during the pandemic.

A Novel Mouse Home Cage Lickometer System Reveals Sex- and Housing-Based Influences on Alcohol Drinking.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant global health issue. Despite historically higher rates among men, AUD prevalence and negative alcohol-related outcomes in women are rising. Loneliness in humans has been associated with increased alcohol use, and traditional rodent drinking models involve single housing, presenting challenges for studying social enrichment. We developed LIQ PARTI (Lick Instance Quantifier with Poly-Animal RFID Tracking Integration), an open-source tool to examine home cage continuous access two-bottle choice drinking behavior in a group-housed setting, investigating the influence of sex and social isolation on ethanol consumption and bout microstructure in C57Bl/6J mice. LIQ PARTI, based on our previously developed single-housed LIQ HD system, accurately tracks drinking behavior using capacitive-based sensors and RFID technology. Group-housed female mice exhibited higher ethanol preference than males, while males displayed a unique undulating pattern of ethanol preference linked to cage changes, suggesting a potential stress or novelty-related response. Chronic ethanol intake distinctly altered bout microstructure between male and female mice, highlighting sex and social environmental influences on drinking behavior. Social isolation with the LIQ HD system amplified fluid intake and ethanol preference in both sexes, accompanied by sex- and fluid-dependent changes in bout microstructure. However, these effects largely reversed upon resocialization, indicating the plasticity of these behaviors in response to social context. Utilizing a novel group-housed home cage lickometer device, our findings illustrate the critical interplay of sex and housing conditions in voluntary alcohol drinking behaviors in C57Bl/6J mice, facilitating nuanced insights into the potential contributions to AUD etiology.

Traumatic Brain Injury Exacerbates Alcohol Consumption and Neuroinflammation with Decline in Cognition and Cholinergic Activity.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health challenge, responsible for 30% of injury-related deaths and significantly contributing to disability. Annually, over 50 million TBIs occur worldwide, with most adult patients at emergency departments showing alcohol in their system. TBI is also a known risk factor for alcohol abuse, yet its interaction with alcohol consumption remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the fluid percussion injury (FPI) model of TBI in mice significantly increases alcohol consumption and impairs cognitive function. At cellular levels, FPI markedly reduced the number and activity of striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) while increasing microglial cells. Notably, depleting microglial cells provided neuroprotection, mitigating cholinergic loss and enhancing cholinergic activity. These findings suggest that TBI may promote alcohol consumption and impair cognitive abilities through microglia activation and consequently reduced cholinergic function. Our research provides critical insights into the mechanisms linking TBI with increased alcohol use and cognitive deficits, potentially guiding future therapeutic strategies.

The Association Between Immigration-Related Stress, COVID-19 Impact, and Drinking Motives Among US-Born Latinos During the Pandemic

Objective: The objective of the present study was to identify factors associated with increased alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of drinkers and heavy drinkers US-born Latino adults. Methods: Hierarchal logistic regression modelling was employed to evaluate associations between the increased use of alcohol during the pandemic and potential risk factors. Results: Participants in the medium and high adverse COVID-19 impact classes reported higher odds (AOR: 7.63, 95 % CI: 2.34–24.84) of increasing their alcohol use during the pandemic. Higher education (AOR: 7.63, 95 % CI: 2.34–24.84), immigration stress (AOR: 2.53, 95 % CI: 1.35–4.75), and drinking to cope (AOR: 1.13, 95 % CI: 1.06–1.19) were positively associated with increased alcohol use during the pandemic. Conclusion: Stressors stemming from adverse consequences resulting from the pandemic may negatively influence the alcohol use behaviors of US-born Latinos, which may potentially exacerbate existing racial/ethnic alcohol-related disparities.

Neighborhood Factors as Correlates of Alcohol Use in the N2 Cohort Study of Black Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women.

Sexually minoritized men (SMM), transgender women (TW), and particularly Black SMM and Black TW may be disproportionately impacted by alcohol-related problems. Few studies have empirically examined neighborhood factors that may contribute to alcohol use, specifically among these populations. Using data from the N2 longitudinal cohort study in Chicago, IL, survey data from the second wave of longitudinal assessment (n = 126), and GPS mobility data collected during study enrollment were used to evaluate neighborhood alcohol outlet availability, neighborhood disorder, and neighborhood poverty as correlates for individual alcohol use. Neighborhood exposures were measured using 200-m derived activity space areas, created from GPS data, and with publicly accessible geospatial contextual data. Separate multi-variable quasi-poison regression models tested for association between neighborhood alcohol outlet density (AOD), measured separately for on-premise (e.g. bars) and off-premise consumption outlets (e.g. liquor stores), neighborhood poverty (defined as the percentage of neighborhood areas at 150% or greater of the U.S. poverty line), exposure to vacant buildings, and neighborhood violent crime density. Separate analytical models found no significant effect between alcohol use and on-premise neighborhood AOD (IRR = 0.99, p = 0.35), off-premise consumption AOD (IRR = 0.92, p = 0.33), or neighborhood violent crime (IRR = 1.00, p = 0.65). Vacant buildings (IRR = 1.03, p = 0.05) and levels of neighborhood poverty (1.05, p = 0.01) were found to be significantly associated with increased alcohol use. Among this population, opposed to geospatial access, neighborhood measurements indicative of disorder and poverty may have greater influence on shaping alcohol use.

Wandering under the Oil Palm Canopy

Abstract During the past two decades, Indonesia has transformed a third of its rainforest into oil palm plantations. Although attention has been paid to the environmental consequences, the connection between oil palm cultivation and the evolving use of alcohol within local communities has received little attention. Studies conducted within rural communities have demonstrated that significant environmental changes frequently result in increased drug and alcohol consumption. Through an ethnographic study of an Indonesian village, this article reveals how the changing living and working environments have not only altered people’s ‘place-world’ but also their sense of identity and position in the world, leaving many disoriented and lost in the homogenous expanse of oil palm plantations. This has seemingly led to increased alcohol use among the village community. This finding offers a fresh and updated way to understand and interrogate the challenges with regard to present-day human-nature relations in agricultural interventions in Indonesia and beyond.

Bilateral insular cortical lesions reduce sensitivity to the adverse consequences of acute ethanol intoxication in Pavlovian conditioning procedures.

Sensitivity to the adverse post-ingestive effects of ethanol likely serves as a deterrent to initiate alcohol consumption early in drinking and later may contribute to efforts to remain abstinent. Administering ethanol to naïve rats prior to Pavlovian conditioning procedures elicits robust ethanol-conditioned taste and place avoidance (CTA; CPA) mediated by its subjective interoceptive properties. The insular cortex (IC) has been implicated as a region involved in mediating sensitivity to the interoceptive properties of ethanol. Here, we examined whether bilateral lesions of the IC affect the acquisition and expression of taste and place avoidance in ethanol-induced CTA and CPA paradigms. Adult male and female Wistar rats received bilateral excitotoxic lesions (ibotenic acid; 20 mg/mL; 0.3 μL) of the IC prior to conditioning procedures. Subsequently, rats were conditioned to associate a novel taste stimulus (0.1% saccharin) and context with the effects of ethanol (1.0 g/kg) in a combined CTA/CPP procedure. Conditioning occurred over 8 alternating CS+/CS- days, followed by tests for expression of taste and place preferences. Data from IC-lesioned rats were compared with neurologically intact rats. Our findings revealed that neurologically intact rats showed a significantly stronger ethanol-induced CTA than IC-lesioned rats. There were no significant differences in total fluid intake when rats consumed water (CS-). As with CTA effects, intact rats showed a strong CPA, marked by a greater reduction in time spent on the drug-paired context, while IC-lesioned rats failed to display CPA to ethanol. These results indicate that proper IC functioning is necessary for responding to the adverse interoceptive properties of ethanol regardless of which Pavlovian paradigm is used to assess interoceptive responsivity to ethanol. Blunted IC functioning from chronic ethanol use may reduce interoceptive signaling specifically of ethanol's adverse effects thus contributing to increased alcohol use.

The impact of abstinence from chronic alcohol consumption on the mouse striatal proteome: sex and subregion-specific differences.

Alcohol misuse is the third leading preventable cause of death in the world. The World Health Organization currently estimates that 1 in 20 deaths are directly alcohol related. One of the ways in which consuming excessive levels of alcohol can both directly and indirectly affect human mortality and morbidity, is through chronic inflammation. Recently, studies have suggested a link between increased alcohol use and the incidence of neuroinflammatory-related diseases. However, the mechanism in which alcohol potentially influences neuroinflammatory processes is still being uncovered. We implemented an unbiased proteomics exploration of alcohol-induced changes in the striatum, with a specific emphasis on proteins related to inflammation. The striatum is a brain region that is critically involved with the progression of alcohol use disorder. Using mass spectrometry following voluntary alcohol self-administration in mice, we show that distinct protein abundances and signaling pathways in different subregions of the striatum are disrupted by chronic exposure to alcohol compared to water drinking control mice. Further, in mice that were allowed to experience abstinence from alcohol compared to mice that were non-abstinent, the overall proteome and signaling pathways showed additional differences, suggesting that the responses evoked by chronic alcohol exposure are dependent on alcohol use history. To our surprise we did not find that chronic alcohol drinking or abstinence altered protein abundance or pathways associated with inflammation, but rather affected proteins and pathways associated with neurodegeneration and metabolic, cellular organization, protein translation, and molecular transport processes. These outcomes suggest that in this drinking model, alcohol-induced neuroinflammation in the striatum is not a primary outcome controlling altered neurobehavioral function, but these changes are rather mediated by altered striatal neuronal structure and cellular health.

A novel mouse home cage lickometer system reveals sex- and housing-based influences on alcohol drinking.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant global health issue. Despite historically higher rates among men, AUD prevalence and negative alcohol-related outcomes in women are rising. Loneliness in humans has been associated with increased alcohol use, and traditional rodent drinking models involve single housing, presenting challenges for studying social enrichment. We developed LIQ PARTI (Lick Instance Quantifier with Poly-Animal RFID Tracking Integration), an open-source tool to examine home cage continuous access two-bottle choice drinking behavior in a group-housed setting, investigating the influence of sex and social isolation on ethanol consumption and bout microstructure in C57Bl/6J mice. LIQ PARTI, based on our previously developed single-housed LIQ HD system, accurately tracks drinking behavior using capacitive-based sensors and RFID technology. Group-housed female mice exhibited higher ethanol preference than males, while males displayed a unique undulating pattern of ethanol preference linked to cage changes, suggesting a potential stress-related response. Chronic ethanol intake distinctly altered bout microstructure between male and female mice, highlighting sex and social environmental influences on drinking behavior. Social isolation with the LIQ HD system amplified fluid intake and ethanol preference in both sexes, accompanied by sex- and fluid-dependent changes in bout microstructure. However, these effects largely reversed upon resocialization, indicating the plasticity of these behaviors in response to social context. Utilizing a novel group-housed home cage lickometer device, our findings illustrate the critical interplay of sex and housing conditions in voluntary alcohol drinking behaviors in C57Bl/6J mice, facilitating nuanced insights into the potential contributions to AUD etiology.

Psychologically Traumatic Birth: Associations with Increased Drinking and Delayed Risk of Alcohol Harm in Mothers

Abstract Background Experience of trauma is a risk factor for increased alcohol use. Childbirth can be psychologically traumatic but there is minimal research investigating whether psychological birth trauma (PBT) is a risk factor for increased maternal drinking or what factors are associated with alcohol use in mothers who have and who have not experienced PBT. Method An online observational survey of mothers with (n = 291) and without (n = 230) experience of PBT. Participants self-reported alcohol use and completed measures of alcohol harm, drinking motives, trauma (general and birth related) and mental health. Free text options were included to complement quantitative data. Results Irrespective of PBT status, stronger endorsement of negative reinforcement drinking motives (e.g. coping) predicted higher alcohol use and hazardous drinking. However, children’s age influenced this relationship. In mothers with a history of PBT, negative reinforcement drinking motives predicted weekly alcohol use and alcohol harm as their children grew older. In mothers without PBT, positive reinforcement drinking motives predicted greater weekly alcohol use as children grew older, but negative drinking motives predicted reduced drinking. Multiple aspects of the parental role influenced drinking (e.g. coping-based motives) and non-drinking (e.g. child well-being motives) behaviour. Changes in motives from pre-motherhood to motherhood focused around a shift from positive to negative reinforcement drinking motives. Mothers with PBT reported mental health symptoms as both a reason to drink and not to drink alcohol. Conclusion This study provides novel evidence on maternal alcohol use, and how PBT may influence drinking behaviour in mothers. Importantly, PBT may be a type of trauma which is associated with a delayed risk for maladaptive alcohol use and risk of alcohol harm. This evidence can facilitate more research aimed at understanding this important public health issue and can inform alcohol interventions tailored to the needs of mothers which consider the long-lasting impact of birth experience.

Understanding daily and momentary drinking motives among transgender and gender diverse adults

Background Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adults may be at increased risk for alcohol use due to gender minority stress (GMS) and specific drinking motives. Aim The current study evaluated the relations between GMS and resilience, drinking motives, and alcohol outcomes among TGD adults. Methods Twenty-five primarily White TGD adults (7 transgender men, 7 transgender women, and 11 gender diverse) who were 19 years of age or older (mean: 32.60; SD: 10.82), lived in Canada, and drank regularly were prompted to complete surveys multiple times per day indexing drinking motives, GMS and resilience factors, contexts, and alcohol use and craving. Multilevel models examined predictors of each drinking motive and relations between drinking motives and alcohol outcomes at the daily and momentary levels. Results Days with increased GMS corresponded with increased social (p<.05) and conformity motives (p<.01). Days with increased resilience also corresponded with elevated social (p<.01) and conformity (p<.05) motives. Days with higher enhancement and social motives predicted increased alcohol use (ps<.01). All momentary motives were elevated when participants reported higher momentary resilience (p<.001). Significant associations between drinking motives, contexts, and alcohol craving were also evident. Discussion GMS and certain drinking motives may contribute to increased alcohol use and craving among TGD adults. Findings encourage the development of gender-inclusive interventions that address GMS and specific drinking motives to support a reduction in this population’s alcohol use.

Support for a browser plug-in blocking online alcohol imagery among Australian participants: A qualitative interview study.

Alcohol depictions are extremely common online, and there is a reported relationship between alcohol exposure and alcohol use. A browser plug-in specifically designed to block online alcohol depictions may be helpful to prevent the uptake of alcohol or increased alcohol use. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted, examining participants' beliefs about the effects of online alcohol exposure and their support for developing the browser plug-in. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we found participants highlighted a clear impact of viewing alcohol online and offline alcohol use. Participants believed a browser plug-in that blocked alcohol was acceptable and would be especially useful for minors (to prevent alcohol initiation) and those who are aiming to reduce their alcohol use. Participants emphasised that viewing online alcohol exposure had an impact on drinking behaviours, such as increased craving and temptation. The browser plug-in was considered an easy intervention tool for both parents and people who are experiencing alcohol-related problems or trying to reduce their drinking. SO WHAT?: Participants' continuous support of an alcohol-blocking browser plug-in suggests that future health promotion strategies should consider the development of a prototype plug-in.

Intimate partner violence is related to future alcohol use among a nationwide sample of LGBTQIA+ people: Results from The PRIDE Study

BackgroundLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, aromantic and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities in the United States experience higher rates of alcohol use than the general population. While experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) is thought to lead to increased alcohol use in LGBTQIA+ people, little research has investigated the temporal relationship between IPV and alcohol use in this population. MethodsData from two annual questionnaires of The Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality Study (The PRIDE Study) longitudinal cohort (n=3,783) were included. Overall IPV and three sub-types (physical, sexual, and emotional) - measured in 2021 using the extended Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream (E-HITS) screening tool - was examined as a predictor of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score in 2022 using multivariable linear regression to assess linear and quadratic associations. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and history of alcohol use. ResultsOne-quarter (24.7%) of respondents reported experiencing past-year IPV in 2021. The mean AUDIT score in 2022 was 3.52 (SD = 4.13). In adjusted models, both linear (B: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.38) and quadratic (B: -0.03, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.01) terms for overall IPV were significantly associated with next-year AUDIT score. These patterns were mirrored in each IPV sub-type, were not attenuated when accounting for relationship characteristics, and were heterogeneous across gender identity groups. ConclusionsThese results provide evidence of a temporal relationship between IPV and alcohol use in LGBTQIA+ communities, suggesting that efforts to prevent and mitigate IPV may help reduce alcohol use disparities in this population.