Risk Factors For Alcohol Abuse Research Articles

Association of ADH1B rs1229984, ADH1C rs698, and ALDH2 rs671 with Alcohol abuse and Alcoholic Cirrhosis in People Living in Northeast Vietnam.

Alcohol abuse can cause developing cirrhosis, even liver cancer. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ADH1B, ADH1C, and ALDH2 genes have been reported to be associated with alcohol abuse and alcoholic cirrhosis (ALC). This study investigated the association between three SNPs of ADH1B rs1229984, ADH1C rs698, and ALDH2 rs671 with alcohol abuse and ALC in people living in the Northeast region of Vietnam. 306 male participants were recruited including 206 alcoholics (106 ALC, 100 without ALC) and 100 healthy non-alcoholics. Clinical characteristics were collected by clinicians. Genotypes were identified by Sanger sequencing. Chi-Square (χ2) and Fisher-exact tests were used to assess the differences in age and clinical characteristics, Child-Pugh score, frequencies of alleles and genotypes. Our data showed that the frequency of ALDH2*1 was significantly higher in alcoholics (88.59%) and ALC groups (93.40%) than that of healthy non-alcoholics (78.50%) with p=0.0009 and non-ALC group (83.50%) with p=0.002, respectively. We detected opposite results when examined ALDH2*2. Frequency of combined genotypes with high acetaldehyde accumulation were significantly lower in alcoholics and ALC group than those of control groups with p=0.005 and p=0.008, respectively. Meanwhile, the proportion of combined genotypes with non-acetaldehyde accumulation were significantly two times higher in the ALC group (19.98%) than those of the non-ALC group (8%) with p=0.035. These combined genotypes showed a decreasing trend in the Child-Pugh score from likely phenotype causing risk for non-acetaldehyde accumulation to high acetaldehyde accumulation. The ALDH2*1 allele was found as a risk factor for alcohol abuse and ALC, and combined genotypes of ADH1B rs1229984, ADH1C rs698, and ALDH2 rs671 with non-acetaldehyde accumulation increase ALC risk. In contrast, ALDH2*2 and the genotype combinations related to high acetaldehyde accumulation were protective factors against alcohol abuse and ALC.

A RARE CASE OF ACTINOMYCES EMPYEMA

A RARE CASE OF ACTINOMYCES EMPYEMA

A current view on the alcohol-related teratogenic effects during pregnancy. Potential preventive measures

Aim: to analyze and summarize the available data of studies aimed at obtaining deeper insight in the field of alcohol-related effects on the course of pregnancy and potential consequences thereof; to study the prevalence of alcohol consumption by women in Russia, as well as potential preventive measures.Materials and Methods. The results of the Russian and foreign studies on the alcohol-related effect on the fetus and pregnancy outcome, published in the international databases Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, have been analyzed. The search for scientific publications was limited to the period from the years 2012 to 2021. We used search queries in Russian and English ("alcohol", "pregnancy", "prevention", "fetus", "fetal alcohol syndrome").Results. The presented data analysis indicates an extremely negative effect of alcohol on the body of pregnant women, as well as on the health of our future generation. This article proves the importance of the problem, the need for further research on the mechanisms of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and the development of effective prevention measures, potential treatment methods, and assistance for FAS. At present, in Russia there is an acute lack of information on the real extent of the problem with maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Still, no precise data on FAS prevalence in Russia are available.Conclusion. Preventing FAS is an urgent and unexplored issue in Russia. Medical doctors able to conduct pregravid preparation of a married couple while they plan to conceive a healthy child are highly demanded. It is necessary to raise awareness and improve the quality of training for obstetricians and gynecologists in order to identify women with high risk factors for alcohol abuse and childbirth with FAS at early stages of pregnancy management. It is also necessary to identify new or use already identified maternal blood biomarkers to verify excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Traditional Leaders’ Perspectives on the Risk Factors of Alcohol Abuse Amongst the Youth: The Case of Oshikango in the Ohangwena Region of Namibia

Traditional leaders in Oshikango perceive alcohol abuse amongst the youth as one of the greatest challenges of our time. Alcohol abuse amongst the youth is seen as an emergent concern in Namibia, which affects society in terms of high risk behaviours such as crime, violence, absenteeism, and school dropouts. This qualitative study was aimed at exploring and describing traditional leaders’ perspectives on the risk factors of alcohol abuse amongst the youth in Oshikango in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. In this qualitative study, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with traditional leaders by means of purposive sampling method. An exploratory research design was utilized. Permission to conduct the study was granted by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and ethical approval was obtained from the University of Namibia’s ethical approval committee. Participation was voluntary and based on informed consent. Data were collected with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and field notes were taken. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data. The main theme on social determinants revealed that a combination of risk factors, such as excessive alcohol abuse amongst the youth in Oshikango relate to loss of life; stealing; peer delinquents; peer pressure and that parental and familial substance abuse contribute a lack of good role models as well as youth capitalizing on the ignorance of their parents. The study concluded that these social determinants play a significant role in contributing to the risk factors of alcohol abuse amongst the youth in Oshikango. This study therefore recommends that in order to combat alcohol abuse amongst the youth, emphasis should be placed on strategies that address parental and familial alcohol abuse, low parental monitoring, peer norms, peer drinking, peer influence, peer delinquency, programme interventions on how to address these factors at individual, family and society level, as well as law reform and law enforcement.

Transition of Care Model for Pediatric Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Transition of Care Model for Pediatric Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

When young soldiers drink: The impact of legal access to alcohol among U.S. Army soldiers

AbstractWe study the impacts of legal access to alcohol on young U.S. Army soldiers. Regression discontinuity estimates reveal that soldiers report a large and significant increase in alcohol consumption after their 21st birthday; however, we precisely estimate that there are no meaningful impacts of legal access on any of the short‐term outcomes we observe, including suicidal tendencies, depression, tobacco use, physical fitness, psychological health, fitness for combat deployment, and job‐related infractions. Novel data on soldier's cognitive ability, psychological health, and family history allow us to explore whether the impacts of legal access vary by risk factors for alcohol abuse. While the increases in alcohol consumption were largest among those who had a family history of mental health problems, had better coping ability, and had higher cognitive ability, these subgroups did not uniformly experience adverse behavioral and physical outcomes upon gaining legal access to alcohol.

Sulforaphane alleviates ethanol-mediated central inhibition and reverses chronic stress-induced aggravation of acute alcoholism via targeting Nrf2-regulated catalase expression

Acute ethanol intoxication by excessive drinking is an important cause of alcohol-induced death. Stress exposure has been identified as one risk factor for alcohol abuse. Previous reports indicated that stressors may augment inhibitory effects of alcohol, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we reported that chronic unpredictable stress increased the sensitivity to the acute ethanol intoxication in mice via impairing nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)-catalase signaling. Nrf2 activity regulates the expression of catalase, a key antioxidant enzyme that mediates ethanol oxidation in the brain. Pharmacological blockade of catalase or Nrf2 activity significantly aggravated acute ethanol intoxication. Sulforaphane, a cruciferous vegetable-derived activator of Nrf2, significantly attenuated acute ethanol intoxication. Furthermore, the stress-induced aggravation of acute alcoholism was rapidly reversed by sulforaphane. Our findings suggest that Nrf2 may function as a novel drug target for the prevention of acute alcoholism, especially in psychiatric patients, by controlling catalase-mediated ethanol oxidation.

The impact of habitation environment on population alcohol consumption in Russia

The article presents the results of analysis of complex of potential environmental factors for alcohol consumption by population of the Russian Federation. It was revealed that the level of alcoholization of residents of certain territories of the Russian Federation is positively associated with systemic severity of indices of social and criminal tension in society. The potential physical and geographical risk factors of alcohol abuse of population are severity of Northern latitude of residence and low level of average annual air temperature and longitude of day in winter season. The content of boron, calcium and magnesium in human body are negatively and copper, manganese and nickel positively associated with alcoholization of residents of Russian regions. It should be noted that systematic accounting of environmental characteristics can predict risk of alcoholization among residents of certain territories of the Russian Federation.

Evaluation of childhood traumatic experience as a risk factor for alcohol use disorder in adulthood

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the effect of early-age (prenatal, infant, and childhood) trauma on adulthood alcohol use disorder.MethodsA total number of 1534 subjects who were born and live in the city of Tangshan were selected. The subjects were divided into three age groups. General demographic data, conditions of the mothers during pregnancy, and condition of the babies at birth, were collected. The diagnosis of alcohol use disorder was based on Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV Axis Disorders (patient version) (SCID). The childhood trauma questionnaire short form (CTQ-SF) [1] and the Lifetime of Experience Questionnaire (LTE-Q) [2] were used to evaluate stress in childhood and adulthood, respectively.ResultsOnly male subjects were diagnosed with lifelong alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of lifetime alcohol use disorder (X2 = 4.480, P = 0.345), current alcohol abuse, and current alcohol dependence among the three groups (X2abuse = 2.177, X2depedence = 2.198, P > 0.05). However, higher prevalence of lifetime alcohol use disorders was found in group with higher scores of CTQ (X2 = 9.315, P = 0.009), emotional abuse (X2 = 8.025, P = 0.018), physical abuse (X2 = 20.4080, P < 0.001), but not in the group with higher scores of emotional neglect (X2 = 1.226, P = 0.542), sexual abuse (X2 = 2.779, P = 0.249), physical neglect (X2 = 3.978, P = 0.137), LTE-Q (X2 = 5.415, P = 0.067), and PSQI (X2 = 5.238, P = 0.073). Protective factor for alcohol abuse for men was identified to be heavy drinking (OR = 0.085, 95%CI: 0.011–0.661), and the risk factors for alcohol abuse were identified to be frequent drinking (OR = 2.736, 95%CI: 1.500, 4.988), and consumption of low liquor (OR = 2.563, 95%CI: 1.387, 4.734). Risk factors for alcohol dependence in males were identified to be consumption of low liquor (OR = 5.501, 95%CI: 2.004, 15.103), frequent drinking (OR = 2.680, 95%CI: 1.164, 6.170), and childhood physical abuse (OR = 2.310, 95% CI: 1.026, 5.201).ConclusionTraumatic experience during infant and prenatal periods does not have a strong statistical correlation with alcohol use disorders for male adults. However, subjects with high CTQ scores, experience of emotional abuse and physical abuse show a statistically higher prevalence of lifetime alcohol use disorders. Several risk factors including consumption of low liquor, frequent drinking, and childhood physical abuse contribute to alcohol dependence in male adults.

Perceptions of church leaders on accessibility and affordability of alcohol abuse amongst youth in Musina Town, Limpopo province

Alcohol abuse is associated with numerous risk factors amongst the youth. The youth indulge in binge drinking because of social exclusion, and accessibility and affordability of alcohol, especially in rural areas. As such, many countries including South Africa spend a large amount of money on drug prevention programmes for the youth. This study was aimed at exploring the perceptions of church leaders on accessibility and affordability of alcohol abuse amongst youth in Musina Town, Limpopo province, South Africa. An exploratory research design was utilised. The study population was drawn from male church leaders at Musina Town. The purposive sampling approach was employed in this article. Qualitative approaches and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo software. The study revealed that negligence of parents, pressure from peers and early debut of alcohol abuse because of poor legislation enforcement predispose the youth to indulge in binge drinking and thus play a significant role in influencing the youth’s decision to use alcohol. The findings of the study point to the disbursement of funds for research purposes, in particular to social work scholars, to do more research on risk factors of alcohol abuse in deep rural areas.

Non-Governmental Organisations Personnel, Social Workers and Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on the Risk Factors of Alcohol Abuse Amongst the Youth: The Case of the Northern Region of the Republic of Namibia

This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the perceptions of Non-Governmental Organisations personnel, social workers and religious leaders on the risk factors of alcohol abuse amongst youth in the Northern region of the Republic of Namibia. In order to pursue this aim, a multiple case study design was used. Substance abuse is a predominant social and health problem which calls the attention of different partners from different disciplines across the globe to address it. Substance abuse, in particular, alcohol abuse is a global concern particularly amongst youth. Youth indulge in alcohol abuse due to numerous risk factors. Semi-structured interviews were used with Non-Governmental Organisations personnel, religious leaders and social workers who were purposively selected. Findings revealed familial, the environmental and community based and socio-economic factors as predisposing youth at Oshikango to indulge in alcohol abuse. It is therefore concluded that there are lot of opportunities at the Northern region of Namibia which predispose youth to engage in alcohol abuse. Thus, stakeholders need to develop integrated strategies to fight the abuse of alcohol amongst youth in the Northern region of Namibia.

Positive alcohol expectancies and injunctive drinking norms in drinking to cope motives and alcohol use among older adults

BackgroundStudies indicate older adults have increased risk for alcohol-related harms (e.g., risk for falls) that can manifest at lower levels of consumption than younger adults. Specifically, age-related changes in alcohol metabolism, physiology, increased morbidity, and potential interactions with medications to manage chronic conditions increases risk for related harms among older adults. PurposeThe present study used cross-sectional data to examine the associations between drinking to cope motives and positive alcohol expectancies, and injunctive drinking norms in older adults. We also explored the interaction between drinking to cope, positive expectancies and injunctive drinking norms on alcohol use. MethodsAdults aged 65 and older (N = 98) completed a series of measures assessing drinking to cope motives, positive alcohol expectancies, injunctive drinking norms, and past-month alcohol use. ResultsPositive alcohol expectancies were positively associated with drinking to cope motives. Drinking norms were not associated with coping motives. Moderating effects of expectancies varied on the link between coping motives and alcohol use. Greater endorsement of coping motives was associated with more alcohol consumption but only for those with low expectancies. ConclusionsBetter understanding of the complex interplay between drinking to cope motives, positive expectancies, and injunctive drinking norms of proximal as well as distal referents could foster improvement of clinical assessments to screen for risk factors of alcohol abuse and promote development of more age-salient measures of alcohol expectancies, norms, and motives.

Alcohol Use Disorder among Patients Suffered from Road Collisions in a Vietnamese Delta Province

Traffic collisions have continuously been ranked amongst the top causes of deaths in Vietnam. In particular, drinking has been recognized as a major factor amplifying the likelihood of traffic collisions in various settings. This study aims to examine the relationship between alcohol use and traffic collisions in the current context of Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 413 traffic collisions patients in six health facilities in the Thai Binh Province to investigate the level of alcohol consumption and identify factors influencing alcohol use among these patients. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) scale was used to determine the problematic drinking behavior of the participants. The percentage of patients having problematic drinking was more than 30%. Being male, having a high household income, and working as farmer/worker were risk factors for alcohol abuse. People causing accidents and patients with a traumatic brain injury had a higher likelihood of drinking alcohol before the accidents. This study highlights the necessity of more stringent laws on reducing drink-driving in Vietnam. In addition, more interventions, especially those utilizing mass media like educational campaign of good behavior on social networks, are necessary to reduce alcohol consumption in targeted populations in order to decrease the prevalence and burden of road injuries.

Relationship between social skills and alcohol consumption

It was considered necessary to conduct a literature review with the following objective: Determine the relationship between social skills and alcohol consumption. As a result of the theoretical review carried out, it was possible to identify that numerous authors emphasize that social skills are important protective factors against alcohol consumption. On the other hand, the deficit in social skills is associated with the appearance of substance use. In addition, there are studies that point to the social incompetence of adolescents and young people as a risk factor for alcohol abuse. In this regard, several researchers have emphasized that training in social skills should be part of behavioral treatments for individuals with alcohol problems and also have to integrate preventive programs. In conclusion, the research carried out has made it possible to deduce that the strengthening of social skills can contribute to improving the resistance to pressure from the consumption of alcohol and other drugs, and therefore to the prevention of this scourge. It is concluded, therefore, that social skills training could be an option, not only for the treatment of people with alcoholism or other addiction problem but also as a prevention factor.

The Relationship Between Handball Players and Alcohol and Smoking Habits.

Recent studies have revealed that sport activity is a protective factor regarding smoking, but a risk factor for alcohol abuse. Considering these findings, it is necessary to investigate the occurrence of substance misuse. Sports that are associated with a substantial amount of physical/mental stress are very interesting from the perspective of substance misuse (e.g., handball). This research was performed to more closely study the population engaged in handball regarding the risk for alcohol and/or tobacco consumption. The sample of respondents consisted of 150 senior handball players who were members of 9 first-league handball clubs from Croatia and abroad. The respondents were grouped into sub-samples according to sex, age, experience, the number of weekly training sessions and their social environment (clubs). Alcohol consumption data were obtained using the AUDIT questionnaire. The differences between groups were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. The study revealed that handball players engaged in alcohol misuse, and they were grouped in the harmful drinking category (AUDIT score, 16-19 for all groups). Regarding tobacco product consumption, the risk groups were women (who smoked significantly more than men, MWU test: Z = 3.30. p < 0.001), handball players with less experience (who smoked significantly more than experienced players, MWU test: Z = 3.68, p < 0.001). Borderline significance was observed for the impact made by social environments, and age was not a significant predictor of tobacco consumption. Regarding alcohol consumption, the highest hazard group were national handball players, who drank much more than foreign players did (MWU test: Z = 2.04, p = 0.04); however, sex, age, experience and training habits were not alcohol consumption predictors in handball. This study reveal that the typical behaviors regarding alcohol and tobacco consumption followed by the general population do not apply to handball players. Targeted prevention can be much more precisely established considering this research.

Alcohol use and hospital readmissions following stroke: A safety net hospital experience

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to identify predictors of stroke-related readmissions at 30days on a safety net hospital level and suggest interventions to reduce the number of readmissions. BackgroundHospital readmissions are an important measure of the quality of health care services. Readmissions indicate unresolved problems from the index admission, inadequate post-hospitalization care, or a mixture of these factors. Additionally, hospital readmissions are associated with a substantial economic burden on the health care system. The study's purpose is to identify predictors of stroke-related readmissions within 30days on a hospital level and suggest interventions to reduce the number of readmissions. MethodsWe conducted a single-center retrospective study of patients admitted to Boston Medical Center (BMC) and diagnosed with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions were used to evaluate possible predictors of stroke related readmissions. ResultsOf 352 patients admitted with a diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at BMC during the study period, 44 (12.5%) patients were readmitted to BMC within 30days. Current alcohol abuse was significantly associated with readmission (OR 95% CI 1.03–5.62). Discharge against medical advice was also associated, though the sample size was small. ConclusionsThese results suggest that early inpatient and post-hospitalization interventions to address alcohol abuse during the index hospital admission may reduce the rate of hospital readmission within 30days. The results have prompted interventions on the stroke service such as early inpatient social work and addiction medicine involvement for patients with risk factors of alcohol abuse.

Suicide and drug and alcohol addiction: Self-destructive behaviours. An observational study on clinic hospital population

IntroductionSuicidal behaviour and drug and alcohol dependence represent two different aspects of self-destructive behavior.ObjectivesWe evaluated the relationship between suicidal behavior and substance and alcohol addiction. It was investigated the role of childhood trauma in these self-destructive behaviors and in the development of the two mental constructions of hopelessness and mentalization.AimsWe also assessed how a high level of hopelessness could affect suicidal ideation and how low or absent capacity of mentalization could influence the development of substance and/or alcohol addiction.MethodsThis naturalistic, observational study included 50 patients (mean age = 46.54; S.D = 14.57) recruited from the department of psychiatry (n = 18) and the centre for suicide prevention (n = 32) of Sant’Andrea Hospital (Rome). Different questionnaires were administered to each patient from February to May 2016.ResultsThere was not a statistically significant relationship between suicidal behavior and addict behavior. Childhood trauma resulted a risk factor for alcohol abuse with a relationship that tended to significance (P = 0.07). Physical and sexual abuses were significantly associated with addiction (respectively P = 0.014; P = 0.033). It was showed a statistically significant interaction between high level of hopelessness and suicidal ideation (P = 0.037). The absence of mentalization was related to the absence of alcohol abuse (P = 0.061). Finally, trauma experienced during childhood was associated with high level of hopelessness (P = 0.005).ConclusionsSuicidal behavior is influenced indirectly by a childhood traumatic experience that conditioning the level of hopelessness. Childhood trauma affected directly the development of drug abuse and alcoholism. The capacity of mentalization was not related with childhood trauma.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Adolescent Social Networks and Alcohol Use: Variability by Gender and Type

ABSTRACTBackground: Scientists have established that social networks influence adolescents' substance use behavior, an influence that varies by gender. However, the role of gender in this mechanism of influence remains poorly understood. Particularly, the role an adolescent's gender, alongside the gender composition of his/her network, plays in facilitating or constraining alcohol use is still unclear. Objectives: This study examined the associations among the gender composition of adolescents' networks, select network characteristics, intrapersonal and interpersonal factors, and alcohol use among a sample of adolescents in the United States. Methods: We assessed cross-sectional data from a 2010 study of 1,523 high school students from a school district in Los Angeles. Analyses of adolescents' network characteristics were conducted using UCINET 6; and logistic regression analyses testing the associations between gender composition of the network and alcohol use were conducted using SPSS 20. Results: Our results indicate that the gender composition of adolescents' networks in our sample is associated with alcohol use. Adolescents in predominantly female or predominantly male friendship networks were less likely to report alcohol use compared to adolescents in an equal/balanced network. In addition, depending upon the context/type of network, intrapersonal and interpersonal factors varied in their association with alcohol use. Conclusions/Importance: Based on these findings, we make several recommendations for the future research. We call for researchers to further examine gender as a risk factor for alcohol abuse, particularly within the complex interplay between gender and network contexts.

Study Shines Light on ‘Invisible Epidemic’ of Alcohol Use

Study Shines Light on ‘Invisible Epidemic’ of Alcohol Use

Certification: A C edential of Competence.

Certification: A C edential of Competence.