Risk Of Heavy Episodic Drinking Research Articles

Ecological momentary assessment of heavy episodic drinking in the early postpartum period: A feasibility study

BackgroundPostpartum mothers are at heightened risk for heavy episodic drinking (HED). Research with this population is critical to developing acceptable and effective tailored interventions, but new mothers who use alcohol are often reluctant to engage in research due to stigma and fear of child removal. This study examined feasibility of recruitment and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in early postpartum mothers with histories of HED. MethodsParticipants were recruited via Facebook and Reddit and completed 14 days of EMA surveys. Baseline characteristics, recruitment feasibility, and EMA feasibility and acceptability were examined. Participants attended focus groups to further inform quantitative data. ResultsReddit yielded a larger proportion of eligible individuals than Facebook, and 86% of the final enroled sample was recruited via Reddit. The average compliance rate of 75% is in line with other studies of similar populations. Half the sample reported alcohol use, and 78% reported the urge to drink at least once, supporting feasibility of EMA for collecting alcohol use data. Participants reported low burden and high acceptability of the study on both quantitative and qualitative measures. Baseline low maternal self-efficacy was associated with greater EMA compliance, and first-time mothers reported lower EMA burden compared to veteran mothers. College graduates, and participants with lower drinking refusal self-efficacy and greater alcohol severity were more likely to report alcohol use on EMA. ConclusionsFuture studies should consider Reddit as a recruitment strategy. Findings generally support feasibility and acceptability of EMA to assess HED in postpartum mothers.

PATTERNS OF HEAVY ALCOHOL USE AMONG OLDER MARRIED AND COHABITING COUPLES

Abstract Heavy drinking has increased among older adults in recent years. Research suggests romantic partners influence each other’s alcohol use, but this influence may vary by partnership type and relationship quality. Heavy drinkers are more likely to form cohabiting versus marital unions and, relative to marriage, cohabitation is linked with a higher risk of heavy episodic drinking. Although some studies have explored older married couples’ alcohol consumption, we lack research on older cohabitors despite the substantial growth in this form of partnership during later life. We use data from the 2014-2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study to examine drinking behavior among a sample of older married and cohabiting couples (n=1,876) using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIM). Heavy drinking is measured as consuming more than 3 drinks on a given day or 7 drinks per week for women, or 4 drinks on a given day or 14 per week for men (NIAAA, 2021). Compared to first marriages, being in a cohabiting union is associated with significantly higher odds of one (OR=5.22) or both (OR=3.82) partners becoming heavy drinkers over the observation period, but there are no significant differences between those in first marriages and remarriages. Relationship quality is also a significant correlate of heavy drinking risk, with male partners’ negative relationship quality and female partners’ positive relationship quality associated with a higher risk of heavy drinking over time. Results suggest the importance of accounting for partnership type and relationship quality in understanding partners’ drinking behavior.

Impact of the policy environment on substance use among sexual minority women

BackgroundSexual minority women (SMW) are at greater risk for heavy episodic drinking, frequent marijuana use, and tobacco use than heterosexual women. Because past research has suggested the political and social environment may influence disparities in substance use by sexual orientation, this study examined associations of the U.S. state-level policy environment on substance use by SMW. MethodsA total of 732 SMW participants were recruited from two national online panels: a general population panel (n = 333) and a sexual minority-specific panel (n = 399). Past year substance use was defined by number of days of heavy episodic drinking (HED; 4+ drinks in a day), weekly tobacco use (once a week or more vs. less or none), and weekly marijuana use (once a week or more vs. less or none). Comprehensive state policy protection was defined by enactment of five policies protecting rights of sexual minorities. Regression models compared substance use outcomes for SMW living in states with comprehensive policy protections to SMW living in states with fewer or no protections. Models also assessed the impact of state policies related to alcohol (state monopoly on alcohol wholesale or retail sales), tobacco (state enactment of comprehensive smoke-free workplace laws) and marijuana (legalization of purchase, possession, or consumption of marijuana for recreational use). ResultsComprehensive policy protections were associated with fewer HED days. Recreational marijuana legalization was associated with higher odds of weekly use. ConclusionsFindings underscore the importance of policy protections for sexual minorities in reducing substance use, particularly HED, among SMW.

Heavy Episodic Drinking in Early Adulthood: How Parents’ Education Contextualizes the Effects of College Status

ABSTRACTYoung adults who transition to college are at particular risk of heavy episodic drinking (HED), as they consume more alcohol than their same-aged peers who do not attend college. Yet the link between college attendance and HED during young adulthood may vary depending on social class origins. Building on life course and socio-structural perspectives that suggest that status characteristics give meaning to role transitions in ways that shape young adults’ drinking behavior, this study situates the risk of HED within the sociological context of educational attainment, and examines how parents’ education conditions the relationship between young adults’ college status and HED. We suggest that the odds of HED are higher when a young adult’s college status is “off-diagonal” – incongruent with their parents’ educational attainment. Using data from Waves I and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health for a sample of 13,526 young adults, stratified by sex, results indicate that being off-diagonal increases the odds of HED, but not for everyone. Females whose parents have higher levels of education but who themselves do not attend college, and those whose parents have low levels of education but who themselves attend four-year colleges, have higher odds of HED. The results for males show no significant interactions between parents’ education and own college status. For both females and males, there are pronounced racial/ethnic differences in HED odds, after controlling for educational mismatch. Findings suggest that HED policies targeting the archetypal four-year-college attending male should be expanded to other groups.

Classes of drinking motives among American Indian youth drinkers.

Research exploring American Indian (AI) youth drinking motives and their relation to negative outcomes is critical due to higher rates of alcohol use and early exposure to intoxication in the population. The purpose of this study is to explore classes of drinking motives as they relate to heavy episodic drinking, perceived discrimination, religious importance, ethnic identity, and ethnic pride. This study is part of an ongoing epidemiologic and etiologic investigation of substance use among AI youth drinkers living on or near reservations (n = 1,934, Mage = 15.31). A latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to discern latent classes of drinking motives. Once latent classes were identified, differences in perceived discrimination, ethnic pride, ethnic identity, religious importance, and heavy episodic drinking were tested. A 2-class solution provided the best overall model fit to the data. The higher coping and enhancement motive class was associated with significantly greater heavy episodic drinking, perceived discrimination, and ethnic identity compared with the low motive class. Further, the class structure did not differ between 7th and 8th graders and 9th-12th graders. Results indicate that among AI youth, the class with strong motives to drink for coping or enhancement had higher ethnic identity, greater risk of heavy episodic drinking, and greater perceived discrimination compared with the class with low motives. Future research should examine additional factors and stressors that may be associated with these classes of drinking motives and are unique to the AI population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Does participation in voluntary organizations protect against risky alcohol and tobacco use? Findings from the UK panel data.

Drawing on the literature that posits heterogeneous influences of social networks on health behaviors, we tested whether different forms of participation in voluntary organizations predicted more or less alcohol and tobacco consumption over time. (Access preregistration at https://osf.io/guzem/) We used panel data from younger (aged 14–29 at baseline), middle-aged (aged 40–50), and older (aged 65–75) UK adults, Ns = 1280–9073, followed from 1991 to 2014. Annual measures of smoking included status and intensity. Frequency of pub attendance was assessed biennially between 1996 and 2008. In 2010 and 2013, more precise measures of alcohol consumption were available. We conducted two-level regression analyses for the outcomes measured more than twice and residual change analyses for other outcomes. Over time (within persons), there were no significant effects on smoking. Activity in voluntary organizations predicted slightly less frequent pub attendance in younger adults. In residual change analyses, activity in voluntary organizations decreased last-week ethanol consumption and risk of heavy episodic drinking in younger women. These effects pertained mainly to service-orientated organizations. In middle-aged adults, membership and attendance at meetings of voluntary organizations predicted slightly more frequent pub attendance. Residual change analyses showed volunteering to reduce the risk of heavy episodic drinking in middle-aged men. In older adults, few significant effects emerged. Between persons, all indicators of participation were associated with less smoking, whereas membership was associated with more and activity with less frequent pub attendance. Thus, most associations between participation in voluntary organizations and substance use reflected interindividual differences.

Social Determinants of Alcohol Use and Heaving Episodic Drinking Among Hispanic Young Adults

Background: Although there are numerous preventive measures in the literature, a vast percentage of Hispanic young adults continue to engage in alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking. The purpose of the study was to examine social determinants of recent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking among Hispanic young adults 18-25 years of age. Methods: In 2016, a secondary analysis (N = 3,452) was performed of 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data. A series of logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether recent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking differed based on sex, education level, family income, employment status, location of residence (type of metro area), self-reported health status, first use of alcohol before age 21, first use of tobacco before age 21 and first use of marijuana before age 21. Results: Regarding alcohol use, 51.8% of Hispanic young adults reported that they had consumed alcohol in the past month and 35.0% reported that they had engaged in heavy episodic drinking. Hispanic young adults at highest risk for recent alcohol use were male, had some college or more, had high family income, were employed, lived in a large metropolitan area, had excellent/very good health status, and had early initiation of substance use. Those at highest risk for heavy episodic drinking were male, were employed, and had early initiation of substance use. Discussion: The present study found that a sizeable percentage of Hispanic young adults are involved in recent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking. Since Hispanic young adults are disproportionately at risk for substance use and scarce resources are available to effectively address the needs of this population, further interventions are warranted. Findings may aid prevention scientists in developing, implementing and evaluating alcohol use programs for this population.

Drinking with parents: Different measures, different associations with underage heavy drinking?

Aims:Is drinking with parents (DWP) likely to curb or to encourage adolescent heavy drinking? The scant number of studies addressing this issue have arrived at contradictory conclusions, which may reflect that different measures of DWP have been used. We pursued the assumption, taking potential confounding related to parental alcohol-specific rule-setting and parenting style into account.Method:Data stem from the Norwegian 2015 ESPAD survey of 15–16 year olds. Drinking with parents at the last drinking event and the frequency of DWP in the past year were assessed among those who had consumed alcohol (n = 1374). Severe drunkenness and binge drinking in the past month were the outcomes. Parental covariates were accounted for in Poisson regression models.Results:One in five (21%) had been drinking with their parents the last time they consumed alcohol, and this DWP measure was strongly and inversely related to both drunkenness and binge drinking. Adolescents who reported no DWP episodes in the past year (61%) and those who reported 1–2 such episodes (30%) barely differed with respect to the two outcomes. More frequent DWP (9%) was significantly associated with an increased risk of heavy episodic drinking, but the statistical impact on severe drunkenness was no longer significant when adjusting for parental covariates.Conclusions:Different measures of DWP were related differently to adolescent heavy drinking, indicating that studies based on DWP at the last drinking event are biased in favour of the view that adolescents may “learn” sensible drinking by consuming alcohol with their parents.

The Association between Heavy Episodic Drinking and Gender Orientation among U.S. College Students: The Significance of Masculinity

ABSTRACTBackground: Heavy episodic drinking (HED) remains a public health concern among college students. Sex differences are routinely reported in the literature although some evidence of convergence in drinking patterns has been observed. The association between sex and gender-orientation in HED remains unclear because sex and gender are often conflated. Objective: We examine the intersection of sex, gender-orientation and HED to determine if gender-orientation alone and/or in conjunction with sex play a role in HED among college students. Methods: Data were collected using a web-based self-administered survey made available to students enrolled in courses at a mid-sized Midwestern public university during the Fall of 2013 and the Spring of 2014 (N = 793). Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between HED, sex, and gender orientation (measured using the short-form Bem Sex Role Inventory). Results: Our findings indicate that, regardless of sex, a masculine gender-orientation was positively associated with HED. Those who were found to have a feminine gender-orientation appeared to be at decreased risk for HED. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that sex and gender-orientation should be taken into account in prevention and intervention protocols at colleges and universities. Future work should examine the role of gender orientation among LGBTQ and ethno-racial minority populations.

Risk of heavy drinking among sexual minority adolescents: indirect pathways through sexual orientation-related victimization and affiliation with substance-using peers.

To test two indirect pathways through which sexual minority adolescents (SMAs) may be at risk for heavy episodic drinking (HED) including a socialization pathway via substance-using peer affiliations and social marginalization pathway via sexual minority-specific victimization and subsequent substance-using peer affiliations. Analysis of the first three waves (6 months apart) of a longitudinal adolescent health risk study (2011-14). Participants were referred by medical providers or a screening system in providers' waiting rooms. Two large urban adolescent health clinics in Pennsylvania and Ohio, USA. A total of 290 adolescents (ages 14-19 years, mean: 17.08) who were 71.0% female, 33.4% non-Hispanic white and 34.5% SMAs. Self-reported sexual minority status (wave 1) and affiliation with substance-using peers (waves 1 and 2), and latent sexual-minority specific victimization (waves 1 and 2) and HED (waves 1 and 3) variables. Using mediation analyses in a structural equation modeling framework, there was a significant indirect effect of sexual minority status (wave 1) on HED (wave 3) via affiliation with substance-using peers [wave 2; indirect effect = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.01, 0.07], after accounting for the indirect effect of sexual-orientation related victimization (wave 2; indirect effect = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02-0.19). The social marginalization pathway was not supported, as victimization (wave 1) was not associated with affiliation with substance-using peers (wave 2; β = - 0.04, P = 0.66). Sex differences in the indirect effects were not detected (Ps > 0.10). Sexual minority adolescents in the United States appear to exhibit increased heavy episodic drinking via an indirect socialization pathway, including affiliations with substance-using peers and a concurrent indirect pathway involving sexual minority-related victimization. The pathways appear to operate similarly for boys and girls.

The Dynamic Risk of Heavy Episodic Drinking on Interpersonal Assault in Young Adolescence and Early Adulthood

This study examines the extent to which variation in violent behaviour can be explained by variation in drinking patterns in late adolescence and early adulthood using panel data of regular drinkers aged between 16 and 29 in England and Wales. Multilevel models explore individuals’ propensity to commit assault controlling for their drinking behaviour. Results suggest that males and younger people are more likely to commit assault offences and that around 60 per cent of the variation in assault is between people, the remainder being within people between occasions. Heavy episodic drinking is a significant predictor of assault in all models. Collectively, the findings point to a periodic association between drinking patterns and violent outcomes, supporting evidence of other forms of contemporaneous association.

Birth Cohort Effects and Gender Differences in Alcohol Epidemiology: A Review and Synthesis

Alcohol consumption has demonstrated substantial temporal trends, with some evidence suggesting strong birth cohort effects. The identification of at-risk birth cohorts can inform the interpretation of alcohol trends across age, time, and demographic characteristics such as gender. The present literature review has 2 objectives. First, we conduct a cross-national review of the literature on birth cohort differences in alcohol consumption, disorder, and mortality. Second, we determine the consistency of evidence for birth cohort effects on gender differences. A search was conducted and key data on population characteristics, presence and direction of cohort effects, and interactions with gender compiled. Thirty-one articles were included. Evidence suggests that younger birth cohorts in North America, especially those born after World War II, are more likely than older cohorts to engage in heavy episodic drinking and develop alcohol disorders, but this cohort effect is not found in Australia and western Europe. Cross-nationally, substantial evidence indicates that women in younger cohorts are at especially high risk for heavy episodic drinking and alcohol disorders. Younger birth cohorts in North America and Europe are engaging in more episodic and problem drinking. The gender gap in alcohol problems is narrowing in many countries, suggesting shifting social norms surrounding gender and alcohol consumption. These trends suggest that public health efforts to specifically target heavy drinking in women are necessary.

DSM-based problem gambling: Increasing the odds of heavy drinking in a national sample of U.S. college athletes?

Despite previously found co-occurrence of youth gambling and alcohol use, their relationship has not been systematically explored in a national sample using DSM-based gambling measures and multivariate modeling, adjusted for potential confounders. This study aimed to empirically examine the prevalence patterns and odds of at-least-weekly alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking (HED) in relation to various levels of gambling severity in college athletes. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed on data from a national sample of 20,739 U.S. college athletes from the first National Collegiate Athletic Association national survey of gambling and health-risk behaviors. Prevalence of at-least-weekly alcohol use significantly increased as DSM-IV-based gambling severity increased, from non-gambling (24.5%) to non-problem gambling (43.7%) to sub-clinical gambling (58.5%) to problem gambling (67.6%). Multivariate results indicated that all levels of gambling were associated with significantly elevated risk of at-least-weekly HED, from non-problem ( OR = 1.25) to sub-clinical ( OR = 1.75) to problem gambling ( OR = 3.22); the steep increase in the relative risk also suggested a possible quadratic relationship between gambling level and HED risk. Notably, adjusted odds ratios showed problem gambling had the strongest association with at-least-weekly HED, followed by marijuana ( OR = 3.08) and cigarette use ( OR = 2.64). Gender interactions and differences were also identified and assessed. In conclusion, attention should be paid to college athletes exhibiting gambling problems, especially considering their empirical multivariate associations with high-risk drinking; accordingly, screening for problem gambling is recommended. More research is warranted to elucidate the etiologic mechanisms of these associations.