Low-risk Alcohol Research Articles

Engaging in Community Dialogues on Low-Risk Alcohol Use Guidelines for Older Adults.

Despite widespread use and acceptance of alcohol, discussions of age-related changes that impact alcohol consumption behaviors are rare. The objective of this community-engaged qualitative research study was to gain insight into how to promote knowledge dissemination regarding newly developed low-risk drinking guidelines for older adults. A convenience sample of 66 older adults and service providers participated in three Knowledge Café dialogue workshops and discussed their opinions about alcohol use in later life and ideas for sharing alcohol-related research evidence with the community. Participants discussed (a) low-risk drinking knowledge dissemination, (b) personal choice in drinking alcohol and adherence to low-risk drinking guidelines, and (c) preferences for engaging in discussions about alcohol use. Community dialogues fostered knowledge dissemination while participants engaged in rich conversations about a rarely discussed topic. Sharing evidence-based clinical advice with community stakeholders through dialogue events offers an innovative opportunity for health promotion efforts.

The efficacy of a brief intervention to reduce alcohol use in persons with HIV in South Africa, a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundSince there is a high prevalence of high risk alcohol use in patients with HIV in Africa, with negative health effects, there is a need for short interventions to reduce alcohol use.MethodsWe studied the efficacy of a short intervention aiming to reduce alcohol use based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills Model in patients with HIV with high alcohol use (measured by AUDIT). The study was performed in three outpatient clinics in South Africa. The intervention group received in one-session intervention a personalized feedback on AUDIT results trying to make people aware that they are in the medium- or high-risk drinking category. Both the intervention and the control group received a health education leaflet.ResultsA total of 560 patients participated in the study with a follow up of 1 year. There was a significant decrease in total AUDIT scores between baseline and follow up points 1 (5 months) and 2 (1 year) in both groups. There was no significant decrease between time points 1 and 2. However, between the intervention and control groups there was no difference in reduction of alcohol use to abstinence or low risk alcohol use over time as there was no difference in absolute decrease in AUDIT-score or percentage of change in AUDIT score. The intervention had no influence on the quality of life outcomes, depression scores, stigma, tobacco use, viral load and therapy adherence at both time points. In all secondary outcomes, there was no significant interaction between intervention and time.ConclusionThe brief intervention was not successful at reducing alcohol use both 5 and 12 months after the intervention. However, there was a beneficial effect on reported hazardous or harmful alcohol use at least over a short term follow up period in both study groups. It might be that only an interview and/or the distribution of a health leaflet can be successful in reducing alcohol use but this needs to be investigated with more objective measures of alcohol use. To sustain an effect, most likely repetitive contacts with hazardous or harmful alcohol drinkers will be needed during a long follow up period.

Health-related behaviours and their relationship with self-rated health among Canadian adults

BackgroundSelf-rated health (SRH) is a commonly used survey measure as a substitute for a clinical measure of health, which has demonstrated validity and reliability in a variety of populations. The referents that individuals incorporate into their self-evaluations have been shown to include health-related behaviours, though these relationships are not static. Our purpose was to describe and test for relationships between health-related behaviours and SRH among Canadian adults.MethodsWe used pooled data from the Canadian Health Measures Surveys Cycles 3 (2012–13) and 4 (2014–15). All men and non-pregnant women aged 18 years and older were included (n = 6,789). We used binary logistic regression to test for relationships between health-related behaviours and SRH, including smoking status, adequate fruit and vegetable intake, inadequate sleep, alcohol use, and adequate physical activity.ResultsThe majority of respondents rated their health as good, very good, or excellent, though differences in SRH were found according to age group, highest level of household education, and income adequacy. Inadequate sleep was most strongly associated with poorer SRH among men and women combined, as compared to other health-related behaviours. Among women only, those who report heavy episodic drinking (OR, 2.64) or daily drinking (OR, 3.51) rated their health better, as compared to women who report low-risk alcohol use.ConclusionsSleep quality is an important predictor of SRH for both men and women. Second, sex/gender differences must be considered in strategies to address alcohol use, as we may not be fully appreciating potentially health-affirming qualities associated with alcohol use among women.

Willingness to Adhere to Current UK Low-Risk Alcohol Guidelines to Potentially Reduce Dementia Risk: A National Survey of People Aged 50 and Over

People over 50 are increasing their alcohol intake, potentially increasing their risk of dementia. This study investigates whether people would be willing to adhere to current United Kingdom (UK, "low-risk") alcohol guidelines to reduce dementia risk. A national cross-sectional online survey recruited a non-probabilistic sample of 3,948 individuals aged 50 and over without dementia in the UK. Self-reported willingness to comply with low-risk guidelines was predicted using logistic regression. Other relevant self-reported variables included physical health, lifestyle, and current alcohol intake. Majority of the sample (90%, n = 3,527) reported drinking alcohol at least once a month with 23% (n = 795) exceeding the low-risk guidelines (> 14 units per week). A larger proportion of men, those who were overweight, and people without a partner reported drinking above the recommended level. Most people who consumed alcohol (n = 2,934; 74.3%) appeared willing to adhere to low-risk guidelines if they were told that their risk of having dementia could be reduced. Increased willingness was found in women (OR 1.81; CI 1.47-2.23), in people who had at least one child (OR 1.36; CI 1.09-1.70), and those who slept well (OR 1.45; CI 1.06-2.00). People who were obese (OR 0.72; CI 0.54-0.95), those who drank alcohol above limits (OR 0.13; CI 0.11-0.16), and those who were smokers (OR 0.56; CI 0.36-0.88) were less willing to adhere to current guidelines. Men and people with more lifestyle risk factors for common chronic diseases (e.g., smoking, obesity, and excess alcohol consumption) are less willing to adhere to current alcohol low-risk guidelines to reduce dementia risk.

A comparison of implicit and explicit reward learning in low risk alcohol users versus people who binge drink and people with alcohol dependence

Chronic alcohol use leads to specific neurobiological alterations in the dopaminergic brain reward system, which probably are leading to a reward deficiency syndrome in alcohol dependence. The purpose of our study was to examine the effects of such hypothesized neurobiological alterations on the behavioral level, and more precisely on the implicit and explicit reward learning. Alcohol users were classified as dependent drinkers (using the DSM-IV criteria), binge drinkers (using criteria of the USA National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) or low-risk drinkers (following recommendations of the Scientific board of trustees of the German Health Ministry). The final sample (n = 94) consisted of 36 low-risk alcohol users, 37 binge drinkers and 21 abstinent alcohol dependent patients. Participants were administered a probabilistic implicit reward learning task and an explicit reward- and punishment-based trial-and-error-learning task. Alcohol dependent patients showed a lower performance in implicit and explicit reward learning than low risk drinkers. Binge drinkers learned less than low-risk drinkers in the implicit learning task. The results support the assumption that binge drinking and alcohol dependence are related to a chronic reward deficit. Binge drinking accompanied by implicit reward learning deficits could increase the risk for the development of an alcohol dependence.

Could Alcohol Abuse Drive Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators' Psychophysiological Response to Acute Stress?

Proactively aggressive individuals have been shown to present a different pattern of autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation from that of individuals characterized by reactive violence. Although attempts have been made to classify intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators based on ANS reactivity to acute stress, subsequent studies have failed to replicate this classification. Notably, the proposed classification neglected the role of chronic alcohol abuse in ANS dysregulation and the fact that this dysregulation entails an abnormal stress response. The aim of the present study was to analyze the response profile (psychological state and ANS response) of groups of IPV perpetrators with high (n = 27) and low (n = 33)-risk alcohol use to an acute stressor, compared to controls (n = 35). All IPV perpetrators scored higher on executive dysfunctions and impulsivity and showed larger decreases in positive affect, less satisfaction, and a higher external locus of control after the stressor than controls. IPV perpetrators with low-risk alcohol use had higher skin conductance levels and breathing reactivity than controls, especially during preparatory, task, and recovery periods. This information could help to develop methods for increasing batterers’ behavioral self-regulation, thus decreasing IPV recidivism risk.

A research plan to define Canada’s first low-risk gambling guidelines

From a public health perspective, gambling shares many of the same characteristics as alcohol. Notably, excessive gambling is associated with many physical and emotional health harms, including depression, suicidal ideation, substance use and addiction and greater utilization of health care resources. Gambling also demonstrates a similar ‘dose-response’ relationship as alcohol—the more one gambles, the greater the likelihood of harm. Using the same collaborative, evidence-informed approach that produced Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking and Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines, a research team is leading the development of the first national Low-Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGGs) that will include quantitative thresholds for safe gambling. This paper describes the research methodology and the decision-making process for the project. The guidelines will be derived through secondary analyses of several large population datasets from Canada and other countries, including both cross-sectional and longitudinal data on over 50 000 adults. A scientific committee will pool the results and put forward recommendations for LRGGs to a nationally representative, multi-agency advisory committee for endorsement. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic attempt to generate a workable set of LRGGs from population data. Once validated, the guidelines inform public health policy and prevention initiatives and will be disseminated to addiction professionals, policy makers, regulators, communication experts and the gambling industry. The availability of the LRGGs will help the general public make well-informed decisions about their gambling activities and reduce the harms associated with gambling.

Alcohol use and associated factors among physicians and nurses in northeast Brazil.

The consequences of alcohol use are closely related to its pattern of intake. The aim of this study is to analyze the pattern of alcohol use by doctors and nurses. Associated co-factors have also been considered. We calculated a representative sample of doctors and nurses from two hospitals in Maranhão, Northeastern Brazil. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was employed to assess patterns of alcohol consumption. A score ≥8 was defined as alcohol misuse, and an answer to question number 3>1 was indicative of heavy episodic drinking (HED). In order to identify factors associated with HED and alcohol misuse, bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with SPSS v20.0. A sample of 510 professionals was examined and 25% of those were abstainers; among those who had drinks containing alcohol, 86% were classified as low-risk alcohol use, scoring lower than 8, while 10.6% of the whole sample was categorized as alcohol misusers, scoring more than 8. The habit of smoking (OR=6.02; CI: 1.71-21.16), following the Catholic religion (OR=3.55; CI: 2.47-8.58), and also gender (OR=3.09; CI: 1.68-5.71) were independently associated with alcohol misuse. HED was found in 14.3%. Younger age (OR=0.96; CI: 0.92-0.98), male gender (OR=5.13; CI: 2.55-10.30), the Catholic religion (OR=3.22; CI: 1.44-7.21), and smoking habits (OR=5.25; CI: 1.26-21.75) were associated with HED. Therefore, physicians and nurses have a lesser prevalence of abstainers, similar rates of alcohol misuse, and greater prevalence of HED when compared to the general Brazilian adult population. More studies involving these professionals need to be carried out in other Brazilian states in order to determine whether the results can be understood as widespread throughout the country.

S100B and Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Blood as Potential Markers of Blood-Brain Barrier Damage and Psychiatric Impairment in Comorbid Hepatitis C Viral Infection and Alcohol Use Disorder.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol use disorder (AUD) both adversely affect the immune system resulting in alterations in immune cell signaling and inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to investigate how comorbid AUD contributes to abnormalities in inflammatory mediators and psychiatric impairments in adults with HCV. Alcohol use, mood, and inflammatory factors were evaluated at 3 time points (baseline, week 4, and week 12) in Veterans with HCV, with (n=42) and without (n=13) comorbid AUD. Peripheral indices of immune activation, blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage (S100 calcium-binding protein B [S100B]), liver function, and viral load were measured using immunoassays and polymerase chain reaction assays. Comorbid AUD was associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, elevated levels of liver enzymes, and altered expression of inflammatory factors. Alcohol consumption was positively correlated with the severity of psychiatric symptoms. Univariate analysis identified significant group differences in interleukin (IL)-8 (p=0.006), IL-10 (p=0.03), and S100B (p=0.048), with increased levels in participants with AUD, which persisted over time despite reductions in alcohol use and no significant change in HCV viral load. Statistically significant effects of study group or time were not found for the other immune factors assessed. Exploratory receiver operating characteristic curve analysis evaluated the ability of IL-8, IL-10, and S100B to differentiate between levels of alcohol consumption and generated biomarker cutoff values used to identify low risk and unhealthy alcohol use groups. These results demonstrate that HCV and comorbid AUD are associated with greater psychiatric impairments, potentially resulting from increased inflammation, dysregulated cytokine expression, and compromised BBB function. Alcohol-induced BBB damage may increase the risk of neuropathological consequences within the context of chronic HCV infection.

Public Awareness of Low-Risk Alcohol Use Guidelines.

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a population-based, public education campaign designed to increase awareness of the Canadian Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRDG). Method. A province-wide mass media campaign was introduced. To measure campaign effectiveness, we completed a cross-sectional study using pre- and postcampaign surveys. Measurements included awareness of the LRDG, specific knowledge of the LRDG, and beliefs toward drinking and behavior change. Results. Postsurvey respondents were more likely to be aware of the LRDG (19.2% vs. 25.8%). However, increased awareness was largely driven by females being significantly more aware of the guidelines after the campaign (odds ratio = 1.74; 95% confidence interval = [1.38, 2.19]). Men were not found to be more aware postcampaign. The results did not show a significant increase in specific knowledge of the LRDG or change in beliefs toward drinking and behavior change after the campaign. Independent of the survey cycle, males and those aged 19 to 25 years were less likely to be aware of the LRDG, select the correct drink limit or less, and believe that consuming alcohol in excess has short- and long-term health consequences when compared to females and those aged 56 to 70 years. Conclusions. A provincial public health education campaign was effective at increasing awareness of the LRDG, though uptake was lowest among those at highest risk for heavy drinking.

The prevalence of and factors associated with urinary cotinine-verified smoking in Korean adults: The 2008-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BackgroundSmoking rate based on self-reporting questionnaire might be underestimated. Cotinine is the principal metabolite of nicotine and is considered an accurate biomarker of exposure to cigarette smoke.ObjectivesThis study evaluated the prevalence of and factors associated with urinary cotinine-verified smoking in Korean adults.MethodsWe analyzed data from 12,110 adults in the 2008–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), using three threshold levels of urinary cotinine ≥100ng/ml, ≥50ng/ml, and ≥30ng/ml.ResultsThe weighted prevalence of urinary cotinine levels of ≥100, ≥50, and ≥30 ng/mL in the whole study population was 34.7%, 37.1%, and 41.1%, respectively. Male sex, younger age, elementary school graduation, household income in the ≤24th percentile, service and sales workers and assembly workers, and high-risk alcohol drinking were associated with a higher prevalence of urinary cotinine level of ≥ 50 or 30 ng/mL, after we adjusted for age, sex, education level, number of family members, household income, occupation, and alcohol drinking.Logistic regression analyses were performed using the aforementioned variables as covariates to identify factors independently associated with cotinine-verified smoking. Men had a higher risk than women of having a urinary cotinine level of ≥50 ng/mL (OR 4.67, 95% CI 4.09–5.32, p < 0.001). When subjects ages 19–29 years were used as controls, adults ages 30–39 years had a 1.19-fold (CI 1.02–1.39, p = 0.026) higher risk of having a urinary cotinine level of ≥50 ng/mL. College graduates had a 32% lower risk of having a urinary cotinine level of ≥50 ng/mL than elementary school graduates (p < 0.001).A household income in the 25–49th percentile (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69–0.98, p = 0.026), 50–74th percentile (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.53–0.76, p < 0.001), or ≥75th percentile (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.53–0.77, p < 0.001) was associated with a lower risk of having a urinary cotinine level of ≥50 ng/mL compared to a household income in the ≤24th percentile. High-risk (OR 2.75, 95% CI 2.37–3.18, p < 0.001) and intermediate-risk (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.82–2.30, p < 0.001) alcohol drinking were associated with having a urinary cotinine level of ≥50 ng/mL compared to low-risk alcohol drinking. Similar to the results of the logistic regression analyses of urinary cotinine ≥50 ng/mL, male sex, younger age, elementary school education, household income in the ≤24th percentile, and high-risk alcohol drinking were significantly associated with having a urinary cotinine level of ≥30 ng/mL. Service and sales workers (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01–1.48, p = 0.041) had a significantly higher risk of having a urinary cotinine level of ≥30 ng/mL.ConclusionsBased on a threshold urinary cotinine level of 50 ng/mL, the prevalence of cotinine-verified smoking in a representative sample of Korean adults was 37.1% (men 52.7%, women 15.4%). Younger age, male sex, low education level, service and sales workers, low household income, and high-risk alcohol drinking were associated with the risk of smoking.

Preventing alcohol-related cancer: what if everyone drank within the guidelines?

The purpose of this study was to estimate the proportion and number of cancer cases diagnosed in Ontario in 2012 that are attributable to alcohol consumption and to compare the impact of drinking within two sets of guidelines on alcohol-attributable cancer incidence. We estimated the proportion of cancers in Ontario attributable to alcohol consumption by calculating population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for six cancer types using drinking prevalence from the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey and relative risks from a meta-analysis. Each PAF was multiplied by the number of incident cancers in 2012, allowing for a 12-year latency period, to calculate the number of alcohol-attributable cases. We also estimated the number of alcohol-attributable cases under two scenarios: (1) assuming consumption had not exceeded the levels recommended by the Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRADG) and (2) assuming consumption had not exceeded the recommended levels by the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) guidelines. One thousand two hundred ninety-five (95% confidence interval 1093-1499) new cases of cancer diagnosed in Ontario during 2012 are estimated to be attributed to alcohol consumption, representing approximately 1.7% (1.4-1.9%) of all new cancer cases. If no Ontario adults had exceeded the LRADG, an estimated 321 fewer cancer cases could have been diagnosed in 2012, whereas an estimated 482 fewer cancer cases could have been diagnosed if no Ontario adults had exceeded the stricter WCRF/AICR guidelines. Strategies to limit alcohol consumption to the levels recommended by drinking guidelines could potentially reduce the cancer burden in Ontario.

Racial/ethnic differences in the association between alcohol use and mortality among men living with HIV

Background Increasing alcohol use is associated with increased risk of mortality among patients living with HIV (PLWH). This association varies by race/ethnicity among general outpatients, but racial/ethnic variation has not been investigated among PLWH, among whom racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented.MethodsVA electronic health record data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (2008–2012) were used to describe and compare mortality rates across race/ethnicity and levels of alcohol use defined by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire. Within each racial/ethnic group, Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, disease severity, and comorbidities, compared mortality risk for moderate-risk (AUDIT-C = 4–7) and high-risk (AUDIT-C ≥ 8) relative to lower-risk (AUDIT-C = 1–3) alcohol use.ResultsMean follow-up time among black (n = 8518), Hispanic (n = 1353), and white (n = 7368) male PLWH with documented AUDIT-C screening (n = 17,239) was 4.3 years. Black PLWH had the highest mortality rate among patients reporting lower-risk alcohol use (2.9/100 person-years) relative to Hispanic and white PLWH (1.8 and 2.3, respectively) (p value for overall comparison = 0.011). Mortality risk was increased for patients reporting high-risk relative to lower-risk alcohol use in all racial/ethnic groups [black adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–1.66; Hispanic AHR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.30–3.64; and white AHR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.61–2.58]. For only white PLWH, mortality risk was increased for patients reporting moderate-relative to lower-risk alcohol use (black AHR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.93–1.27; Hispanic AHR = 1.36, 95% CI 0.89–2.09; white AHR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.28–1.77).ConclusionAmong all PLWH, mortality risk was increased among patients reporting high-risk alcohol use across all racial/ethnic groups, but mortality risk was only increased among patients reporting moderate-risk relative to lower-risk alcohol use among white PLWH, and black patients appeared to have higher mortality risk relative to white patients at lower-risk levels of alcohol use. Findings of the present study further underscore the need to address unhealthy alcohol use among PLWH, and future research is needed to understand mechanisms underlying observed differences.

Willingness to Adhere to Current UK Low-Risk Alcohol Guidelines to Potentially Reduce Dementia Risk: A National Survey of People Aged 50 and Over

Background: People over 50 are increasing their alcohol intake, potentially increasing their risk of dementia. This study investigates whether people would be willing to adhere to current UK (low-risk) alcohol guidelines to reduce dementia risk. Methods: A national cross-sectional online survey recruited a non-probabilistic sample of 3,948 individuals aged 50 and over without dementia in the UK. Willingness to comply with low-risk guidelines was predicted using multivariate logistic regression. Relevant variables included physical health, lifestyle, and current alcohol intake. Outcomes: Majority of the sample (90%, n=3,527) reported drinking alcohol at least once a month with 23% (n=795) exceeding the low-risk guidelines (>14 units per week). A larger proportion of men, those who were overweight, and people without a partner reported drinking above the recommended level. Most people who consumed alcohol (n=2,934; 74·3%) appeared willing to adhere to low-risk guidelines if they were told that their risk of having dementia could be reduced. Increased willingness was found in women (OR 1·81; CI 1·47-2·23), in people who had at least one child (OR 1·36; CI 1·09-1·70) and those who slept well (OR 1·45; CI 1·06-2·00). People who were obese (OR 0·72; CI 0·54-0·95), those who drank alcohol above limits (OR 0·13; CI 0·11-0·16), and were smokers (OR 0·56; CI 0·36- 0·88) were less willing to adhere to current guidelines. Interpretation: Men and people with more lifestyle risk factors for common chronic diseases (e.g., smoking, obesity and excess alcohol consumption) are less willing to adhere to current alcohol low-risk guidelines to reduce dementia risk. Funding Statement: Alzheimer's Research UK. Declaration of Interests: DO has received funding from the Alzheimer’s Research UK. MO has received grants from the ESRC, NIHR and EU Commission for dementia care research. All the other authors have no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. All procedures involving human subjects/patients were approved by the East Midlands - Nottingham Research Ethics Committee (IRAS project ID 177280; REC reference 16/EM/0044).

A cross-sectional study examining associations between substance use frequency, problematic use and STIs among youth living with HIV

ObjectivesThis study sought to examine the prevalence of STIs and whether substance use frequency and/or problematic use—specifically alcohol, marijuana and other drugs—was associated with having an STI diagnosis among youth...

The burden of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality in Ottawa, Canada.

ObjectivesAlcohol-related morbidity and mortality are significant public health issues. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence and trends over time of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality; and public attitudes of alcohol use impacts on families and the community in Ottawa, Canada.MethodsPrevalence (2013–2014) and trends (2000–2001 to 2013–2014) of alcohol use were obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Data on paramedic responses (2015), emergency department (ED) visits (2013–2015), hospitalizations (2013–2015) and deaths (2007–2011) were used to quantify the acute and chronic health effects of alcohol in Ottawa. Qualitative data were obtained from the “Have Your Say” alcohol survey, an online survey of public attitudes on alcohol conducted in 2016.ResultsIn 2013–2014, an estimated 595,300 (83%) Ottawa adults 19 years and older drank alcohol, 42% reported binge drinking in the past year. Heavy drinking increased from 15% in 2000–2001 to 20% in 2013–2014. In 2015, the Ottawa Paramedic Service responded to 2,060 calls directly attributable to alcohol. Between 2013 and 2015, there were an average of 6,100 ED visits and 1,270 hospitalizations per year due to alcohol. Annually, alcohol use results in at least 140 deaths in Ottawa. Men have higher rates of alcohol-attributable paramedic responses, ED visits, hospitalizations and deaths than women, and young adults have higher rates of alcohol-attributable paramedic responses. Qualitative data of public attitudes indicate that alcohol misuse has greater repercussions not only on those who drink, but also on the family and community.ConclusionsResults highlight the need for healthy public policy intended to encourage a culture of drinking in moderation in Ottawa to support lower risk alcohol use, particularly among men and young adults.

Correlates of High-Risk and Low-Risk Alcohol Use among College Students in Kerala, India

ABSTRACTThis study describes the prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among college students in Ernakulam, Kerala State, India. A total of 5784 students from 58 colleges selected by stratified random sampling completed a questionnaire incorporating standardized instruments. The prevalence of lifetime alcohol use was 21.4% with a male predominance. Among users, low-risk, hazardous, and dependent use were 80.2%, 18.3% and 0.9% respectively. Initiation was mostly with friends (45.3%). Both low-risk and high-risk alcohol users (hazardous and dependent users), in comparison to abstainers, had higher odds of being older, non-Muslim, having a part-time job, using other substances, and exposure to sexual abuse. Students who reported low-risk use also had an urban background, more severe psychological distress and suicidal thoughts, while high-risk users had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Students who reported high-risk use compared to low-risk users had higher odds of having a part-time job, tobacco use, and ADHD symptoms. Alcohol use among college students is common, with both low- and high-risk drinking associated with significant morbidity. This study highlights the need to promote public health policies to target and prevent all patterns of alcohol use among young people.

CONSUMO DE ÁLCOOL ENTRE ESTUDANTES DO CURSO DE NUTRIÇÃO E FATORES ASSOCIADOS

O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a prevalência do consumo de álcool entre os estudantes do Curso de Graduação em Nutrição de uma instituição privada da cidade de Montes Claros, MG. É um estudo descritivo realizado entre os meses de agosto e setembro de 2015. Participaram 152 estudantes do curso de Nutrição, maiores de 18 anos (94,7% mulheres e 5,3% homens). Foram utilizados dois questionários autoaplicáveis. A faixa etária predominante foi entre 18 a 24 anos (67%). A maioria dos entrevistados declarou ser abstinente ou fez uso de baixo risco (94,8%). Para uma minoria(5,2%), o uso foi considerado de risco nos últimos 12 meses. sendo que 104 acadêmicos (68,4%) desistiram de assistir as aulas, para ir a bares, festas ou outros eventos, e dois (1,3%) trancaram a matricula, demonstrando um consumo considerado prejudicial, com possíveis consequências negativas. Foi observado um consumo de álcool de baixo risco na grande maioria dos estudantes. Assim, é necessária a adoção de medidas de promoção da saúde no intuito de diminuir ou zerar os índices de uso abusivo do álcool, mesmo em uma pequena minoria, estendendo a pesquisa aos outros cursos da faculdade, a fim melhorar a qualidade de vida e o rendimento escolar dos egressos.

Association of Cannabis, Stimulant, and Alcohol use with Mortality Prognosis Among HIV-Infected Men.

Questionnaires over a 9-year study period (2002-2010) were used to characterize cannabis, stimulant, and alcohol use among 3099 HIV-infected men participating in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) to determine whether use of these substances is associated with changes in the VACS Index, a validated prognostic indicator for all-cause mortality. At baseline, 18% of participants reported no substance use in the past year, 24% lower risk alcohol use only, 18% unhealthy alcohol use only, 15% cannabis use (with or without alcohol), and 24% stimulant use (with or without alcohol or cannabis). In adjusted longitudinal analyses, cannabis use [β=-0.97 (95% CI -1.93, 0.00), p=0.048] was not associated with mortality risk, while stimulant use [1.08 (0.16, 2.00), p=0.021] was associated with an increased mortality risk, compared to lower risk alcohol use. Our findings show no evidence of a negative effect of cannabis use on mortality risk, while stimulant use was associated with increased mortality risk among HIV-infected men. Interventions to reduce stimulant use in this patient population may reduce mortality.

Dissociation between wanting and liking for alcohol and caffeine: A test of the Incentive Sensitisation Theory.

Limited human studies have directly tested the dissociation between wanting and liking with human substance users, a core tenet of the Incentive Sensitisation Theory (IST). The aim of this study is to test the dissociation between wanting and liking in humans across two commonly used licit substances, alcohol and caffeine. The STRAP-R (Sensitivity To Reinforcement of Addictive and other Primary Rewards) questionnaire was administered to 285 alcohol users (mean age=33.30, SD= 8.83) and 134 coffee users (mean age=33.05, SD=8.10) ranging in their levels of substance use to assess wanting and liking. Findings showed that in high risk alcohol users wanting may drive alcohol consumption more so than liking, compared with low risk alcohol users. However, wanting and liking did not significantly dissociate as alcohol consumption increased. These findings partially support IST. Additionally, IST was not supported in coffee users. It is possible that caffeine functions differently at the neurological level compared with alcohol, perhaps explaining the lack of dissociation emerging in coffee users as caffeine use increased. Nevertheless, the current study makes several contributions to IST research. Future studies should focus on utilising the STRAP-R with a clinically dependent sample to test the dissociation between wanting and liking.