Alcohol Use In Women Research Articles

Estrogen and alcohol use in women: a targeted literature review.

Alcohol is posited to affect sex steroid hormone concentrations, and a growing body of research has demonstrated menstrual cycle effects on women's use of alcohol. The present targeted review synthesizes the literature examining the relationship between alcohol use and estradiol in women and suggests directions for future research. Articles were identified using the PubMed database using the following criteria: published in English, presented original findings for women, were peerreviewed, and included measures of estradiol levels in the analyses. Twenty-nine articles were identified for inclusion. Results from this review indicate acute alcohol use temporarily increases estradiol levels in women, and this may be strongest when gonadotropins are high. Regular alcohol use (≥1 drink per day) increases estradiol levels, but estradiol appears to be suppressed in women with alcohol use disorders and physiologic dependence. Alcohol use tends to be highest in women during ovulation, when estradiol is high, and progesterone is low. Alcohol use increases estradiol levels in women, particularly in the presence of gonadotropins. More research is needed to assess the effect of estradiol on alcohol use in women. Research on the relationship of estrogen and alcohol use in women is needed to elucidate health outcomes through the lifespan.

Self-Protection in the Social Context: A Daily-Level Examination of Young Adult Women's Perceived Need for and Engagement in Sexual Assault Protective Behavioral Strategies.

Young adult women naturalistically engage in sexual assault protective behavioral strategies (SA-PBS) in an effort to reduce their risk of sexual assault. Despite well-documented sociocontextual risks for sexual assault, it remains largely unknown whether and how social contexts influence SA-PBS use. The present study characterized relations of women's alcohol use and interpersonal contexts with SA-PBS engagement across social events, framed according to Routine Activity Theory. Young adult women from a community sample (N = 174) reported their drinking and social events across 27 daily assessments spanning one year. Multilevel latent class analyses examined variability in SA-PBS, and multinomial regression tested associations of contextual risks with SA-PBS engagement. Results supported three distinct classes of social events characterized by SA-PBS engagement: (1) No or Minimal Use of SA-PBS ("No Use," 26%), (2) No Perceived Reason or Opportunity to Use SA-PBS ("No Reason or Opportunity," 44%), and (3) Any Use of SA-PBS ("Any Use," 30%). Presence of likely offenders (odds ratio [OR] = 4.77, p = .004), absence of capable guardianship (OR = 5.91, p < .001), and greater other's substance intoxication (OR = 1.46, p = .01), as theorized by Routine Activity Theory, increased odds of membership in the "Any Use" relative to "No Use" class. Women's alcohol consumption was not associated with class membership. Women's perceptions of risk in the social environment relate to their likelihood of engaging in SA-PBS. Findings represent an important step toward understanding the social context's role in sexual assault risk and protection.

Watching the fall of Roe v. Wade: Media exposure relates to U.S. women's alcohol use intentions.

The Supreme Court of the United States' decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in June 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protection of abortion rights. Given the drastic policy changes as a result of the ruling and high exposure to media related to abortion, women opposed to the decision may have experienced distress, which could trigger maladaptive coping strategies, such as alcohol use. The present research examined how consuming abortion-related media in the weeks following the Dobbs decision impacted alcohol use intentions among women of reproductive age residing in the 13 "trigger law" states that immediately restricted abortion access. A sample of 196 women (Mage = 30.52, SD = 6.9) residing in trigger law states answered questions about abortion-related media consumption, views toward the Dobbs ruling, negative affect, and alcohol use intentions. Consuming more abortion-related media predicted higher alcohol use intentions for women who opposed the ruling, but not those who were in favor of abortion restrictions. This timely study provides evidence of how the Dobbs ruling is associated with health ramifications beyond reproduction, yielding insights about how high media exposure to large-scale, distressing events may put those most affected-women of reproductive age in states that enacted new policies restricting abortion access-at risk for alcohol use. Findings highlight an imperative direction for future research as abortion restrictions continue to be spotlighted in U.S. media and state legislatures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol consumption and dependence risk among male and female Veterans: Trajectories and predictors

BackgroundWith few exceptions, previously conducted research on hazardous drinking among Veterans has employed samples in which the majority of participants identify as male. In addition, past studies have solely focused on alcohol consumption, rather than associated risk for dependence. In this study, we expanded upon the extant literature by investigating sex differences in trajectories and predictors of change in alcohol consumption and dependence risk among post-9/11 Veterans. MethodsA national sample of 1649 Veterans (50.0% female) were recruited in a five-wave longitudinal study that followed Veterans for up to 16 years after deployment. We used growth curve modeling to investigate trajectories of change in alcohol consumption and dependence risk among men and women Veterans. We examined predictors of growth, including demographics, support and resources, psychiatric symptoms, and trauma exposure. ResultsAmong male Veterans, alcohol consumption and dependence risk remained stagnant, which is in contrast to past work using non-Veteran samples. For female Veterans, consumption exhibited initial reductions that decelerated, and dependence risk reduced at a continuous rate. PTSD diagnosis was a significant predictor of individual differences in growth for men. Psychiatric symptoms (i.e., PTSD diagnosis, probable depression diagnosis, suicidal ideation) and psychosocial functioning were significant predictors of decreasing alcohol use for women. ConclusionsResults highlight important sex differences in patterns and predictors of change in alcohol consumption and dependence risk among post-9/11 Veterans. Findings are discussed in relation to screening for hazardous alcohol use and intervention strategies in this at-risk population.

Scoping review on the role of the family doctor in the prevention and care of patients with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder

BackgroundFoetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading preventable cause of nongenetic mental disability. Given the patient care pathway, the General Practitioner (GP) is in the front line of prevention and identification of FASD. Acknowledging the importance of the prevalence of FASD, general practitioners are in the front line both for the detection and diagnosis of FASD and for the message of prevention to women of childbearing age as well as for the follow-up.ObjectivesThe main objective of the scoping review was to propose a reference for interventions that can be implemented by a GP with women of childbearing age, their partners and patients with FASD. The final aim of this review is to contribute to the improvement of knowledge and quality of care of patients with FASD.MethodsA scoping review was performed using databases of peer-reviewed articles following PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy was based on the selection and consultation of articles on five digital resources. The advanced search of these publications was established using the keywords for different variations of FASD: "fetal alcohol syndrome," "fetal alcohol spectrum disorder," "general medicine," "primary care," "primary care"; searched in French and English.ResultsTwenty-three articles meeting the search criteria were selected. The interventions of GPs in the management of patients with FASD are multiple: prevention, identification, diagnosis, follow-up, education, and the role of coordinator for patients, their families, and pregnant women and their partners. FASD seems still underdiagnosed.ConclusionThe interventions of GPs in the management of patients with FASD are comprehensive: prevention, identification, diagnosis, follow-up, education, and the role of coordinator for patients, their families, and pregnant women and their partners.Prevention interventions would decrease the incidence of FASD, thereby reducing the incidence of mental retardation, developmental delays, and social, educational and legal issues.A further study with a cluster randomized trial with a group of primary care practitioners trained in screening for alcohol use during pregnancy would be useful to measure the impact of training on the alcohol use of women of childbearing age and on the clinical status of their children.

Assessing the acceptability of implementing a Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for alcohol use among transgender women in Bangkok, Thailand: A mixed-method pre-implementation study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

Health inequities related to alcohol use exist for transgender individuals. While the Thailand Ministry of Public Health recently published a clinical guideline to implement a Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in primary care, there has been no study regarding transgender women's (TGW) alcohol use and the acceptability of implementing SBIRT in a Thai context, a gap this study aimed to fill. A mixed-method approach was used. In the first phase, TGW service users and health-care providers (HCPs) completed a survey on the acceptability of prospective implementation of SBIRT. TGW service users completed the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). In the second phase, TGW service users, HCPs, clinic administrators and national-level alcohol, HIV and transgender health policymakers participated in in-depth qualitative interviews. The Tangerine Clinic, a transgender-led sexual health clinic in Bangkok, Thailand. In the first phase, TGW service users (n = 100) and HCP (n = 8) were surveyed. In the second phase, 22 stakeholders (n = 10 TGW service users; n = 8 HCP; n = 1 clinic administrator; n = 3 policymakers) were interviewed. Simple proportions were calculated for each survey item. Differences in acceptability by various demographic factors were calculated using univariate analysis. The qualitative data were coded using thematic analysis and a deductive approach. The results were mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains and constructs. The quantitative and qualitative results were triangulated to expand understanding. Fifty per cent of the TGW participants exhibited problematic drinking levels (AUDIT-C ≥ 4). Implementing SBIRT was highly acceptable, as more than 95% of participants reported agreeing or completely agreeing to receive SBIRT for alcohol use. Barriers, such as complexity, time constraint and lack of knowledge and skills, were anticipated. Adaptability, such as tailoring the content of brief intervention to suit TGW health needs and SBIRT to fit with existing clinic procedures, might facilitate successful implementation. Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for alcohol use has the potential to be successfully implemented in transgender-led sexual health clinic settings, with some adaptations to overcome anticipated barriers.

Depressive Symptoms, Social Support and Employment: A Longitudinal Examination of Alcohol Use in Women

Introduction: There is a worrying upward trend in alcohol consumption by women during the middle of life stages. Alcohol consumption can have negative health consequences, some of which women are particularly susceptible. To address this alarming trend, it is necessary to understand the antecedents of alcohol consumption among women. The purpose of this longitudinal study is to examine the predictors of alcohol consumption between 2009 and 2018, in a sample of women in their 40s at the final time point.Methods: Data were drawn from four waves of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health over 9 years at four time points (2009–2018; N = 6900). Women were between 31 and 36 years old in 2009 and between 40 and 45 years old in 2018.Results: There was a 3% increase in the proportion of women drinking at risk levels between 2009 and 2018. A multinominal logistic mixed effects model found that, after adjusting for covariates, depression (relative risk ratio [RR] = 1.04, p &lt; 0.001), high social support (RR = 1.17, p &lt; 0.001) and employment relative to not working (RR = 2.32, p &lt; 0.001), working in management compared to a professional role (RR = 1.51, p &lt; 0.001) and no dependent child at home (RR = 0.80 [0.07], p = 0.017) were predictors of risky drinking compared to not drinking.Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of peer influence, mental health and stress associated with managing multiple responsibilities as key factors to address in targeting high‐risk drinking behaviors among women. There is a clear need for more opportunities for women to assess their relationships with alcohol and seek help in the process. Addressing this issue is paramount, especially considering its increasing prevalence.

The symbolic consumption processes associated with 'low-calorie' and 'low-sugar' alcohol products and Australian women.

The influence of commercial actors, practices and processes on the health and wellbeing of women is still not well understood. The alcohol industry has developed a range of products to appeal to new 'health conscious' markets, such as 'low-calorie' and 'low-sugar' products. While these products may have specific appeal for women, there has been little in-depth research that has sought to understand how women conceptualize these products and the range of symbolic meanings that women associate with these products. An online qualitatively led survey was conducted with n = 497 Australian women who had consumed alcohol in the last year. Questions related to the reasons for and influences on alcohol use, the purchasing of 'low-calorie' or 'low-sugar' products and the influence that these products might have on women's alcohol use. Data were interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis. Women consumed alcohol to relax, cope with everyday stressors and because of the alignment with social practices and social connection. Women perceived that these products provided a healthier alternative to traditional alcohol products and that they aligned with women's values relating to weight and the thin ideal. Some women were concerned that these products could increase alcohol consumption by reducing the perceptions of risk associated with alcohol. Policy consideration is needed to address how product claims and attributes may influence population groups' interpretations of the risks and benefits of these alcohol products, including the illusion that these products have protective potential and are better for overall health and wellbeing.

Synthetic contraceptive hormones occlude the ability of nicotine to reduce ethanol consumption in ovary-intact female rats

Rates of tobacco and alcohol use in women are rising, and women are more vulnerable than men to escalating tobacco and alcohol use. Many women use hormonal birth control, with the oral contraceptive pill being the most prevalent. Oral contraceptives contain both a progestin (synthetic progesterone) and a synthetic estrogen (ethinyl estradiol; EE) and are contraindicated for women over 35 years who smoke. Despite this, no studies have examined how synthetic contraceptive hormones impact this pattern of polysubstance use in females. To address this critical gap in the field, we treated ovary-intact female rats with either sesame oil (vehicle), the progestin levonorgestrel (LEVO; contained in formulations such as Alesse®), or the combination of EE+LEVO in addition to either undergoing single (nicotine or saline) or polydrug (nicotine and ethanol; EtOH) self-administration (SA) in a sequential use model. Rats preferred EtOH over water following extended EtOH drinking experience as well as after nicotine or saline SA experience, and rats undergoing only nicotine SA (water controls) consumed more nicotine as compared to rats co-using EtOH and nicotine. Importantly, this effect was occluded in groups treated with contraceptive hormones. In the sequential use group, both LEVO alone and the EE+LEVO combination occluded the ability of nicotine to decrease EtOH consumption. Interestingly, demand experiments suggest an economic substitute effect between nicotine and EtOH. Together, we show that chronic synthetic hormone exposure impacts nicotine and EtOH sequential use, demonstrating the crucial need to understand how chronic use of different contraceptive formulations alter patterns of polydrug use in women.

Alcohol Use in Women and Adolescents in Terms of Romani Norms and Traditions

İnsanın diğer davranışlarında olduğu gibi yaşamını sürdürdüğü topluluğun alkol kullanımına karşı yaklaşımı veya kültürel ve çevresel yatkınlığı kişinin alkol kullanım tutumlarını yakından etkileyen temel unsurları oluşturmaktadır. Gelenekçi toplum yapılarında ise kişinin davranışları üzerinde gelenek ve örfler daha baskın bir role sahip olabilmektedir. Kültürel desenleri ve gelenekçi yapısını kuşaklar arası aktarımla günümüze kadar devam ettiren ve geleneğe olan bağlılık sebebiyle kendilerine has bir tutum geliştiren Romanlar örneğinde bu etkileşimi görebilmek mümkündür. Özellikle bu gruptaki kadın ve ergenlerin alkole karşı tutumları ve alkol kulanım davranışlarının incelenmesi ile söz konusu durum gözlemlenebilir. Bu noktada toplumda dezavantajlı gruplar olarak kabul edilen kadınların alkol kullanımına karşı korumacı bir yaklaşım gösteren gelenekçi yaklaşımların ve bunun yanında çocuk ve ergenlerin alkole maruziyeti ve alkol kullanımına karşı müsamahakâr yaklaşımın bu toplulukta ne ölçüde karşılık bulduğunun tespiti önem arz etmektedir. Bu araştırmada, alkol kullanımında kültürün rolünü belirlemek amacıyla geleneklerini koruma çabasıyla öne çıkan Roman topluluklarından karma bir grup örneklem olarak seçilmiştir. İstanbul’un tarihi semtleri arasında yer alan Üsküdar’ın Selami Ali mahallesinde nitel araştırma yöntemleri kullanılarak yapılan araştırmada öne çıkan sonuçlar arasında geleneklerine sıkı sıkı bağlı kalmaya devam eden topluluğun erkek ve kadınların alkol kullanım tutumlarında cinsiyetçi yaklaşımların hala örf ve adetlerden beslenmeye devam ettiği, mahalledeki kullanım yaygınlığından çocuk ve ergenlerin olumsuz yönde etkilendiği tespit edilmiştir.

Randomized Clinical Trial of a Brief Alcohol Intervention as an Adjunct to Batterer Intervention for Women Arrested for Domestic Violence.

Despite a rise in women being arrested for domestic violence and court-ordered to batterer intervention, batterer interventions remain limited in their ability to address women's treatment needs. Alcohol use is an important intervention target: one-third of women in batterer interventions have an alcohol-related diagnosis, half engage in at-risk drinking, and alcohol use contributes to intimate partner violence (IPV) and batterer intervention dropout. Research has not evaluated whether adding an alcohol intervention to batterer intervention improves women's alcohol use and IPV outcomes. We randomized 209 women (79.9% white) in Rhode Island to receive the state-mandated batterer intervention program alone or the batterer intervention program plus a brief alcohol intervention. Alcohol use (percentage of days abstinent from alcohol [PDAA], number of drinks per drinking day [DPDD], percentage of heavy drinking days [PHDD], percentage of days abstinent from alcohol and drugs [PDAAD]), and IPV perpetration and victimization frequency (psychological, physical, and sexual IPV, injury) data were collected at baseline and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Multilevel modeling revealed that, relative to the batterer intervention alone, women who received the brief alcohol intervention reported a higher PDAA and PDAAD, fewer DPDD, and a lower PHDD across all follow-up assessments. Women who received the brief alcohol intervention perpetrated less physical IPV and experienced less injury than did women who only received the batterer intervention. For physical IPV, these differences became more pronounced over time. No other group differences or group x time interactions emerged. Adding an alcohol intervention may improve batterer intervention outcomes for women arrested for domestic violence.

Women over 50 who use alcohol and their engagement with primary and preventative health services: a narrative review using a systematic approach

Background Women who are over 50 years are drinking alcohol in higher quantities and more frequently than in previous decades. Good engagement with primary care is crucial for women’s physical and psychological health, particularly if they use alcohol. However, there is little known about the alcohol use of women over 50 and their use of primary care. Methods A systematic search was conducted on six databases; CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, EMBASE and Web of Science to identify literature on primary health care engagement of women 50 years and older (50+) who use alcohol. Titles and abstracts were reviewed and full texts were independently reviewed by two researchers. A narrative review, critical appraisal and synthesis of the eligible studies produced common themes and key findings. Results After excluding 3822 articles, 13 articles were deemed eligible for the review. For this age group (50+), findings were: 1) women who drink heavily were less likely than men to attend General Practitioners (GPs), moderate drinkers were more likely than abstainers to attend mammogram screening, 2) GPs were less likely to ask questions or discuss alcohol with women than with men, 3) GPs offered less advice on alcohol to women than to men, and 4) less women than men received alcohol screening from their GP. Discussion While women 50+ are drinking more, their alcohol use is underreported and insufficiently provided for in primary health. As women’s life expectancy increases, improved GP engagement will benefit women’s health and reduce future healthcare costs.

Supporting pregnant and parenting women who use alcohol during pregnancy: A scoping review of trauma-informed approaches.

Alcohol is legalized and used for a variety of reasons, including socially or as self-medication for trauma in the absence of accessible and safe supports. Trauma-informed approaches can help address the root causes of alcohol use, as well as the stigma around women's alcohol use during pregnancy. However, it is unclear how these approaches are used in contexts where pregnant and/or parenting women access care. Our objective was to synthesize existing literature and identify promising trauma-informed approaches to working with pregnant and/or parenting women who use alcohol. A multidisciplinary team of scholars with complementary expertise worked collaboratively to conduct a rigorous scoping review. All screening, extraction, and analysis was independently conducted by at least two authors before any differences were discussed and resolved through team consensus. The Joanna Briggs Institute method was used to map existing evidence from peer-reviewed articles found in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, and Web of Science. Data were extracted to describe study demographics, articulate trauma-informed principles in practice, and gather practice recommendations. Thirty-six studies, mostly from the United States and Canada, were included for analysis. Studies reported on findings of trauma-informed practice in different models of care, including live-in treatment centers, case coordination/management, integrated and wraparound supports, and outreach-for pregnant women, mothers, or both. We report on how the following four principles of trauma-informed practices were applied and articulated in the included studies: (1) trauma awareness; (2) safety and trustworthiness; (3) choice, collaboration, and connection; and (4) strengths-based approach and skill building. This review advances and highlights the importance of understanding trauma and applying trauma-informed practice and principles to better support women who use alcohol to reduce the risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Relationships and trust are central to trauma-informed care. Moreover, when applying trauma-informed practices with pregnant and parenting women who use alcohol, we must consider the unique stigma attached to alcohol use.

An event-level evaluation of women's self-medicated drinking: The role of sexual assault severity, affect, and drinking motives.

Women with sexual assault (SA) histories report heavier and more frequent drinking. Consistent with the motivational model of alcohol use, women with SA histories may consume alcohol to both downregulate negative emotions and upregulate positive ones. The present event-level study used a Bayesian multilevel moderated mediation approach to examine the extent to which women's alcohol use and intoxication was influenced by coping and enhancement drinking motives to downregulate or upregulate affect, respectively. Women ages 21-30 were recruited from the community to participate in a larger study that included a 32-day daily diary assessment of affect, drinking motives, and alcohol use. We found consistent support for women's tendencies to be motivated to drink to cope or enhance negative or positive affect, respectively, and those drinking motives were associated with indicators of increased drinking. Becoming intoxicated to downregulate negative emotion was common and this pathway was particularly strong for women who reported more severe SA histories. Although women with more severe SA histories were generally more likely to drink more, they were not likely to do so as a way to enhance positive experiences. Alcohol interventions that provide adaptive regulatory strategies are needed for women who experience increased negative or positive affect, with a particular focus on self-medication for young women with more severe SA histories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-compassion buffers the internalized alcohol stigma and depression link in women sexual assault survivors who drink to cope

BackgroundDepression is strongly implicated in drinking to cope and the development of alcohol use disorders (AUD) in women, particularly among women with a history of sexual assault victimization (SAV). Alcohol use in women is heavily stigmatized, and substance use stigma is associated with depression. This study examined the link between internalized alcohol stigma (AS) and depression and tested whether self-compassion buffered (i.e., moderated) this association in a sample of women with a history of SAV and unhealthy drinking to cope. MethodWomen sexual assault survivors (N = 288; 82 % White, 91.2 % Non-Hispanic, 20.2 % sexual minority) reporting unhealthy drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Inventory Test-C ≥ 4) and drinking to cope (Drinking Coping Motives Questionnaire-Revised ≥ 2) completed online self-report surveys. Hierarchical regression analyses tested associations between internalized-AS and self-compassion with depression after controlling for covariates (age, income, education, AUD symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder) and then, whether self-compassion moderated the Internalized-AS and depression link. ResultsInternalized-AS accounted for 1.4 % of variance in depression (p < .01); self-compassion accounted for added variance when subsequently modeled (8.2 %, p < .001). Moderation analyses revealed self-compassion to buffer the internalized-AS and depression link. Among participants reporting high levels of self-compassion, there was no association between internalized-AS and depression (p = .894). DiscussionWhile findings are modest, they align with the previously observed link between internalized-AS and depression and extend these findings to women with a history of SAV endorsing elevated coping motives and unhealthy drinking. Self-compassion may protect against this link, pending further research sampling greater diversity of participants and longitudinal and controlled designs.

Heavy alcohol use in women caused increase in suicide mortality

A recent study found that rising heavy alcohol use by women — a relatively new phenomenon — has contributed to the increasing sex disparity in the suicide mortality rate. Now, more women than men die from suicide committed while intoxicated. Until 2018, the prevalence of intoxication and suicide mortality had been increasing for both men and women, but women had a notably higher increase in both, according to the study, which looked at data from 2003 to 2018. The increase was particularly significant in women ages 65 and older.

College Women, Sex, and Drinking: Examining the Impact of Pre-sex Alcohol Consumption in Consensual Sexual Encounters

ABSTRACT Introduction College is a time of sexual exploration and experimentation for many emerging adults. Sex and alcohol use frequently co-occur on college campuses. Research and theory predict that alcohol catalyzes sexual responding and enjoyment, despite evidence linking alcohol with negative sexual outcomes. Because of this apparent paradox, research examining different facets of post-drinking sexuality continues to warrant attention. Objective The purpose of this study is to examine whether alcohol-involved sexual encounters differ from non-alcohol-involved ones in terms of sexual distress, sexual functioning, and sex-related consequences. Methods First- and second-year college women (N = 389) were enrolled in a longitudinal study on college women's alcohol use and sexual health. Inclusion criteria included having sex with a man and drinking alcohol in the 3 months prior to study enrollment. Study participation entailed the completion of a baseline survey and follow-up surveys at 6 and 12 weeks. At each timepoint, participants answered event-specific questions regarding their most recent sexual encounter. Participants who reported at least one sexual encounter over the course of the study (n = 351) were included in analyses. Participants completed measures of sexual distress and sexual consequences. Sexual functioning and satisfaction were measured using the Monash Female Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire. Estimated blood alcohol concentration (e-BAC) at the time of the sexual encounter was also calculated. Results Across the study, participants reported 758 unique sexual encounters, ranging from 1-3 events per participant (M = 2.16, SD = .84). Alcohol was consumed in 429 (57%) of the sexual encounters reported. Most encounters took place with a partner with whom the participant had sex previously (83%) and with a boyfriend (62%). Encounters that were preceded by alcohol consumption were more likely to be with a new partner, X2(1, N=745) = 17.68, p &amp;lt; .001, or non-boyfriend, X2(1, N=737) = 57.98, p &amp;lt; .001. Most encounters (86%) included receptive vaginal or anal penetration. Among those who drank prior to the sexual encounter, e-BAC ranged from .00 to .27% (M = .06, SD = .06). Alcohol-involved sexual encounters led to fewer positive sexual consequences, t(692) = 2.54, p = .003 and with higher sexual distress, t(720) = .689, p = .012. There was a trend toward more negative sexual consequences (e.g. concern about STIs, unwanted pregnancy, worsened mood) following alcohol-involved encounters, t(660) = -1.37, p = .044, though this difference is not significant following Bonferroni correction (α = .013). There were no significant differences in overall sexual functioning. Conclusions Sex under the influence of alcohol is common among college women and is associated with more distress and fewer positive consequences than sober sexual encounters. Women who drink prior to sex may do so for a variety of reasons, including to enhance sexual pleasure or to cope with distress or anxiety around sex. Sexual health professionals are encouraged to query patients about their alcohol use, particularly in sexual contexts, and to provide psychoeducation and alternative strategies to enhance sexual experiences without alcohol. Disclosure No

Gender Differences in Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Substance Use in 50- to 65-Year-Old Jamaicans.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender-specific differences in prevalence and risk factors for alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among 50- to 65-year-old Jamaicans. We performed secondary analysis of the 2016 Jamaica National Drug Use Prevalence Survey. The dependent variables were self-reported use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana in the 30 days before the survey. The independent variables included general, socioeconomic, and community characteristics and concomitant substance use. Gender-stratified multiple Poisson regressions were conducted. The survey included 1,099 individuals aged 50-65 years; 50.3% were men. Reported use was significantly higher in men than in women: alcohol (54.9% vs. 17.8%), marijuana (22.4% vs. 2.2%), and tobacco (19.2% vs. 3.9%). High income was associated with alcohol use in women, whereas low and middle incomes were associated with marijuana use among men. Being employed was associated with tobacco use among women and with alcohol use among men. Rural residence was associated with alcohol use in women and with marijuana use in men. High neighborhood disorder was associated with tobacco use in women and alcohol and marijuana use in men. Concomitant substance use increased the likelihood of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use in men and women. We conclude that gender-sensitive strategies to substance use prevention and treatment are needed in Jamaica.

Exploring the significance of relationality, care and governmentality in families, for understanding women's classed alcohol drinking practices.

In this paper we explore the importance of relationality and care for understanding women’s alcohol use, using a theoretical framework comprising concepts from feminist ethics of care, the sociology of personal life, and feminist approaches to governmentality. A key focus is how care giving responsibilities and expectations in families appear to be particularly significant for creating or constraining possibilities for drinking practices. We draw on findings from a qualitative study about alcohol use and stress with 26 women, aged 24-67 years, in the North East of England, UK. We consider how care practices in families feature in the accounts of alcohol use by women with and without children, and how the symbolic and material aspects of social class interact with care to alter the drinking practices women engage in. The interpretation extends scholarship on women’s drinking, by adopting a relational approach to identity and linking private care practices and alcohol use to social and political structures. Public health approaches for preventing or reducing heavy drinking practices are predominantly situated within biomedical or psychological paradigms. Intervention approaches to reduce women’s drinking that draw on our theoretical framework could offer potential for reducing harmful alcohol use in a more meaningful way.

Structural sexism and Women's alcohol use in the United States, 1988–2016

BackgroundWomen's alcohol consumption and binge drinking have increased concurrent with socio-economic gains and may be related to structural sexism. MethodsWe examined associations between structural sexism (state-level sex inequality in political/economic status), and alcohol outcomes among women in Monitoring the Future (N = 20,859) from 1988 to 2016 (ages 27–45 in 2016). We controlled for state and individual confounders and tested three mediators: depressive symptoms, restrictive alcohol norms, and college completion. ResultsIncreased structural sexism was associated with decreased alcohol consumption frequency (RR: 0.974, 95% CI: 0.971, 0.976) and binge drinking probability (OR: 0.917, 95% CI: 0.909, 0.926). Norms and education but not depressive symptoms partially mediated these relationships. ConclusionAmong women in the midlife in recent years, lower levels of state structural sexism were associated with greater alcohol consumption and binge drinking. These findings suggest that as states become more gender-equal—which confer numerous benefits for women's rights and health—additional resources and messaging may be required to prevent harmful alcohol use among women.