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Drinking Patterns (drinking + pattern)
Kinds of Drinking Patterns Selected AbstractsDrinking Patterns and Myocardial Infarction: A Linear Dose,Response ModelALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2009Marcia Russell Background:, The relation of alcohol intake to cardiovascular health is complex, involving both protective and harmful effects, depending on the amount and pattern of consumption. Interpretation of data available on the nature of these relations is limited by lack of well-specified, mathematical models relating drinking patterns to alcohol-related consequences. Here we present such a model and apply it to data on myocardial infarction (MI). Methods:, The dose,response model derived assumes: (1) each instance of alcohol use has an effect that either increases or decreases the likelihood of an alcohol-related consequence, and (2) greater quantities of alcohol consumed on any drinking day add linearly to these increases or decreases in risk. Risk was reduced algebraically to a function of drinking frequency and dosage (volume minus frequency, a measure of the extent to which drinkers have more than 1 drink on days when they drink). In addition to estimating the joint impact of frequency and dosage, the model provides a method for calculating the point at which risk related to alcohol consumption is equal to background risk from other causes. A bootstrapped logistic regression based on the dose,response model was conducted using data from a case-control study to obtain the predicted probability of MI associated with current drinking patterns, controlling for covariates. Results:, MI risk decreased with increasing frequency of drinking, but increased as drinking dosage increased. Rates of increasing MI risk associated with drinking dosage were twice as high among women as they were among men. Relative to controls, lower MI risk was associated with consuming < 4.55 drinks per drinking day for men (95% CI: 2.77 to 7.18) and < 3.08 drinks per drinking day for women (95% CI: 1.35 to 5.16), increasing after these cross-over points were exceeded. Conclusions:, Use of a well-specified mathematical dose,response model provided precise estimates for the first time of how drinking frequency and dosage each contribute linearly to the overall impact of a given drinking pattern on MI risk in men and women. [source] Hostility, drinking pattern and mortalityADDICTION, Issue 1 2008Stephen H. Boyle ABSTRACT Aims This study examined the association of hostility to drinking pattern and whether this association mediated the relation of hostility to mortality. Participants and design Subjects were 3326 current drinkers from the Vietnam Experience Study cohort who were followed for vital status. Setting United States. Measurements Hostility was measured by an abbreviated version of the Cook,Medley Hostility Scale (ACM). The alcohol variables were total monthly intake of alcohol, drinking frequency, drinks per drinking day and drinking , 5 drinks on at least one occasion in the past month (i.e. heavy episodic drinking). Findings Regression analyses showed associations between the ACM and total monthly intake of alcohol (P < 0.0001), drinks per drinking day (P < 0.0001) and heavy episodic drinking (P < 0.0001), but not with frequency of drinking days. Hostility, drinks per drinking day, heavy episodic drinking and total monthly alcohol intake were also associated with all-cause mortality (all Ps < 0.0001). Further analyses showed that drinking pattern, particularly drinks per drinking day, may account partially for the relation of hostility to mortality. Conclusions High hostility is associated with elevated mortality and a deleterious drinking pattern characterized by relatively high intake per drinking occasion. Drinking pattern could help explain the relationships between hostility and health. [source] Drinking pattern and risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction: a population-based case,control studyADDICTION, Issue 3 2004Maurizio Trevisan ABSTRACT Aims Alcohol consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease incidence and mortality. However, most studies have focused on an average volume per specific time period and have paid little attention to the pattern of drinking. The aim of this study was to examine the association between various drinking patterns and myocardial infarction (MI). Design A population-based case,control study. Methods Participants were 427 white males with incident MI and 905 healthy white male controls (age 35,69 years) selected randomly from two Western New York counties. During computer-assisted interviews detailed information was collected regarding patterns of alcohol consumption during the 12,24 months prior to interview (controls) or MI (cases). Findings Compared to life-time abstainers, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for non-current and current drinkers were 0.66 (0.31,1.39) and 0.50 (0.24,1.02), respectively. Daily drinkers exhibited a significantly lower OR (0.41) compared to life-time abstainers. Participants who drank mainly without food had an OR of 1.49 (0.96,2.31) compared to those who drank mainly with food and 0.62 (0.28,1.37) compared to life-time abstainers. Men who reported drinking only at weekends had a significantly greater MI risk [1.91; (1.21,3.01)] compared to men who drank less than once/week, but not compared to life-time abstainers [0.91 (0.40,2.07)]. Conclusions Our results indicate that patterns of alcohol use have important cardiovascular health implications. [source] Drinking patterns, dependency and life-time drinking history in alcohol-related liver diseaseADDICTION, Issue 4 2009Jennifer Hatton ABSTRACT Aims To examine the hypothesis that increases in UK liver deaths are a result of episodic or binge drinking as opposed to regular harmful drinking. Design A prospective survey of consecutive in-patients and out-patients. Setting The liver unit of a teaching hospital in the South of England. Participants A total of 234 consecutive in-patients and out-patients between October 2007 and March 2008. Measurements Face-to-face interviews, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, 7-day drinking diary, Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, Lifetime Drinking History and liver assessment. Findings Of the 234 subjects, 106 had alcohol as a major contributing factor (alcoholic liver disease: ALD), 80 of whom had evidence of cirrhosis or progressive fibrosis. Of these subjects, 57 (71%) drank on a daily basis; only 10 subjects (13%) drank on fewer than 4 days of the week,of these, five had stopped drinking recently and four had cut down. In ALD patients two life-time drinking patterns accounted for 82% of subjects, increasing from youth (51%), and a variable drinking pattern (31%). ALD patients had significantly more drinking days and units/drinking day than non-ALD patients from the age of 20 years onwards. Conclusions Increases in UK liver deaths are a result of daily or near-daily heavy drinking, not episodic or binge drinking, and this regular drinking pattern is often discernable at an early age. [source] Drinking patterns, drinking contexts and alcohol-related aggression among late adolescent and young adult drinkersADDICTION, Issue 7 2005Samantha Wells ABSTRACT Aims The main objectives of this study were to determine: (1) the relative roles of heavy episodic drinking (HED), drinking frequency and drinking volume in explaining alcohol-related aggression and (2) whether drinking context variables (i.e. usual drinking locations, typical drinking companions and extent of peer drinking) confound or modify the relationship between HED and alcohol-related aggression or whether they predict alcohol-related aggression independently. Design A secondary analysis of the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth was conducted. Alcohol-related aggression (denoted fights after drinking) was measured based on self-reports of arguments or fights that occurred during or after drinking in the previous 12 months. Participants A composite sample of drinkers, ages 17,21, from the 1994, 1996 and 1998 Young Adult surveys (n = 738) was used. Findings Frequency of drinking and drinking volume largely confounded the association between HED and fights after drinking. Usually drinking in public locations away from home versus private locations was found to be significantly associated with a greater likelihood of fights after drinking among females. Among males, usual drinking location modified the relationship between drinking frequency and alcohol-related aggression, with the greatest risk of aggression for males who drank frequently and usually drank in public locations away from home. Conclusions Programs designed to reduce drinking frequency in this population and to increase the safety of drinking locations in public places away from home may prove to be beneficial in reducing alcohol-related aggression. [source] Drinking patterns in mid-adolescence and psychosocial outcomes in late adolescence and early adulthoodADDICTION, Issue 12 2004J. Elisabeth Wells ABSTRACT Aims To describe the pattern of drinking at age 16 and to relate this to outcomes at 16,21 years and 21,25 years across a number of psychosocial domains. Design A prospective birth cohort study with annual follow-up until age 16 then at 18, 21 and 25 years. Setting Christchurch, New Zealand. Participants Of 1265 subjects, 953 were interviewed at age 16. Measurements Multiple measures of family background were collected from birth to 16 years. Alcohol consumption was measured in terms of frequency, usual or last quantity drunk and most drunk per occasion. Problems were also recorded. Questions about psychiatric symptoms enabled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) criteria to be applied. Detailed reports on educational outcomes, employment, sexual behaviours and offending were collected. Findings Four latent classes were required to describe drinking at age 16, but these appeared to lie along a single dimension which strongly predicted outcomes at ages 16,21 and 21,25 across all domains (alcohol-related, substance dependence, mental health, education, sexual relationships and offending). After controlling for background and correlates only a small number of outcomes were still related consistently to drinking at age 16 over both periods: most alcohol-related outcomes, the number of sexual partners and the extent of violent offending. Conclusions Drinking at age 16 is a clear indicator of future life-course over most domains in late adolescence and early adulthood. Many of these associations are due to other covariates. Outcomes specific to drinking at age 16 are alcohol outcomes, number of sexual partners and violence. [source] Drinking and Alcohol-Related Harm Among New Zealand University Students: Findings From a National Web-Based SurveyALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2009Kypros Kypri Background:, Alcohol-related harm is pervasive among college students in the United States of America and Canada, where a third to half of undergraduates binge drink at least fortnightly. There have been no national studies outside North America. We estimated the prevalence of binge drinking, related harms, and individual risk factors among undergraduates in New Zealand. Methods:, A web survey was completed by 2,548 undergraduates (63% response) at 5 of New Zealand's 8 universities. Drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems in the preceding 4 weeks were measured. Drinking diaries for the preceding 7 days were completed. Multivariate analyses were used to identify individual risk factors. Results:, A total of 81% of both women and men drank in the previous 4 weeks, 37% reported 1 or more binge episodes in the last week, 14% of women and 15% of men reported 2+ binge episodes in the last week, and 68% scored in the hazardous range (4+) on the AUDIT consumption subscale. A mean of 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.4, 2.3) distinct alcohol-related risk behaviors or harmful consequences were reported, e.g., 33% had a blackout, 6% had unprotected sex, and 5% said they were physically aggressive toward someone, in the preceding 4 weeks. Drink-driving or being the passenger of a drink-driver in the last 4 weeks was reported by 9% of women and 11% of men. Risk factors for frequent binge drinking included: lower age, earlier age of drinking onset, monthly or more frequent binge drinking in high school, and living in a residential hall or a shared house (relative to living with parents). These correlates were similar to those identified in U.S. and Canadian studies. Conclusions:, Strategies are needed to reduce the availability and promotion of alcohol on and around university campuses in New Zealand. Given the high prevalence of binge drinking in high school and its strong association with later binge drinking, strategies aimed at youth drinking are also a priority. In universities, high-risk drinkers should be identified and offered intervention early in their undergraduate careers. [source] Alcohol and injuries: a review of international emergency room studies since 1995DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 2 2007CHERYL J. CHERPITEL Abstract This paper provides a review of emergency room (ER) studies on alcohol and injury, using representative probability samples of adult injury patients, and focuses on the scope and burden of the problem as measured by estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the ER visit, self-report drinking prior to injury, violence-related injury and alcohol use disorders. A computerized search of the English-language literature on MEDLINE, PsychINFO and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Science Database (ETOH) was conducted for articles published between 1995 and 2005, using the following key descriptors: (1) emergency room/emergency department/accident and emergency, (2) alcohol/drinking and (3) injuries (intentional and unintentional). Findings support prior reviews, with injured patients more likely to be positive for BAC and report drinking prior to injury than non-injured, and with the magnitude of the association substantially increased for violence-related injuries compared to non-violence-related injuries. Indicators of alcohol use disorders did not show a strong association with injury. Findings were not homogeneous across studies, however, and contextual variables, including study-level detrimental drinking pattern, explained some of the variation. This review represents a broader range of ER studies than that reported previously, across both developed and developing countries, and has added to our knowledge base in relation to the influence of contextual variables on the alcohol-injury relationship. Future research on alcohol and injury should focus on obtaining representative samples of ER patients, with special attention to both acute and chronic alcohol use, and to organisational and socio-cultural variables that may influence findings across studies. In-depth patient interviews may also be useful for a better understanding of drinking in the injury event and associated circumstances. [source] The relation between different dimensions of alcohol consumption and burden of disease: an overviewADDICTION, Issue 5 2010Jürgen Rehm ABSTRACT Aims As part of a larger study to estimate the global burden of disease and injury attributable to alcohol: to evaluate the evidence for a causal impact of average volume of alcohol consumption and pattern of drinking on diseases and injuries; to quantify relationships identified as causal based on published meta-analyses; to separate the impact on mortality versus morbidity where possible; and to assess the impact of the quality of alcohol on burden of disease. Methods Systematic literature reviews were used to identify alcohol-related diseases, birth complications and injuries using standard epidemiological criteria to determine causality. The extent of the risk relations was taken from meta-analyses. Results Evidence of a causal impact of average volume of alcohol consumption was found for the following major diseases: tuberculosis, mouth, nasopharynx, other pharynx and oropharynx cancer, oesophageal cancer, colon and rectum cancer, liver cancer, female breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, alcohol use disorders, unipolar depressive disorders, epilepsy, hypertensive heart disease, ischaemic heart disease (IHD), ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke, conduction disorders and other dysrhythmias, lower respiratory infections (pneumonia), cirrhosis of the liver, preterm birth complications and fetal alcohol syndrome. Dose,response relationships could be quantified for all disease categories except for depressive disorders, with the relative risk increasing with increased level of alcohol consumption for most diseases. Both average volume and drinking pattern were linked causally to IHD, fetal alcohol syndrome and unintentional and intentional injuries. For IHD, ischaemic stroke and diabetes mellitus beneficial effects were observed for patterns of light to moderate drinking without heavy drinking occasions (as defined by 60+ g pure alcohol per day). For several disease and injury categories, the effects were stronger on mortality compared to morbidity. There was insufficient evidence to establish whether quality of alcohol had a major impact on disease burden. Conclusions Overall, these findings indicate that alcohol impacts many disease outcomes causally, both chronic and acute, and injuries. In addition, a pattern of heavy episodic drinking increases risk for some disease and all injury outcomes. Future studies need to address a number of methodological issues, especially the differential role of average volume versus drinking pattern, in order to obtain more accurate risk estimates and to understand more clearly the nature of alcohol,disease relationships. [source] ,I have no interest in drinking': a cross-national comparison of reasons why men and women abstain from alcohol useADDICTION, Issue 10 2009Sharon Bernards ABSTRACT Aims To examine country differences in reasons for abstaining including the association of reasons with country abstaining rate and drinking pattern. Participants Samples of men and women from eight countries participating in the GENACIS (Gender Alcohol and Culture: an International Study) project. Methods Surveys were conducted with 3338 life-time abstainers and 3105 former drinkers. Respondents selected all applicable reasons for not drinking from a provided list. Analyses included two-level hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) regression. Findings Reasons for abstaining differed significantly for life-time abstainers compared to former drinkers, by gender and age, and by country-level abstaining rate and frequency of drinking. Life-time abstainers were more likely than former drinkers to endorse ,no interest', ,religion' and ,upbringing' and more reasons overall. Gender differences, especially among former drinkers, suggested that norms restricting drinking may influence reasons that women abstain (,no interest', ,not liking taste') while drinking experiences may be more important considerations for men (,afraid of alcohol problems', ,bad effect on activities'). Younger age was associated with normative reasons (,no interest', ,taste', ,waste of money') and possibly bad experiences (,afraid of problems'). Reasons such as ,religion', ,waste of money' and ,afraid of alcohol problems' were associated with higher country-level rates of abstaining. Higher endorsement of ,drinking is bad for health' and ,taste' were associated with a country pattern of less frequent drinking while ,not liking effects' was associated with higher drinking frequency. Conclusions Reasons for abstaining depend on type of abstainer, gender, age and country drinking norms and patterns. [source] Drinking patterns, dependency and life-time drinking history in alcohol-related liver diseaseADDICTION, Issue 4 2009Jennifer Hatton ABSTRACT Aims To examine the hypothesis that increases in UK liver deaths are a result of episodic or binge drinking as opposed to regular harmful drinking. Design A prospective survey of consecutive in-patients and out-patients. Setting The liver unit of a teaching hospital in the South of England. Participants A total of 234 consecutive in-patients and out-patients between October 2007 and March 2008. Measurements Face-to-face interviews, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, 7-day drinking diary, Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, Lifetime Drinking History and liver assessment. Findings Of the 234 subjects, 106 had alcohol as a major contributing factor (alcoholic liver disease: ALD), 80 of whom had evidence of cirrhosis or progressive fibrosis. Of these subjects, 57 (71%) drank on a daily basis; only 10 subjects (13%) drank on fewer than 4 days of the week,of these, five had stopped drinking recently and four had cut down. In ALD patients two life-time drinking patterns accounted for 82% of subjects, increasing from youth (51%), and a variable drinking pattern (31%). ALD patients had significantly more drinking days and units/drinking day than non-ALD patients from the age of 20 years onwards. Conclusions Increases in UK liver deaths are a result of daily or near-daily heavy drinking, not episodic or binge drinking, and this regular drinking pattern is often discernable at an early age. [source] Hostility, drinking pattern and mortalityADDICTION, Issue 1 2008Stephen H. Boyle ABSTRACT Aims This study examined the association of hostility to drinking pattern and whether this association mediated the relation of hostility to mortality. Participants and design Subjects were 3326 current drinkers from the Vietnam Experience Study cohort who were followed for vital status. Setting United States. Measurements Hostility was measured by an abbreviated version of the Cook,Medley Hostility Scale (ACM). The alcohol variables were total monthly intake of alcohol, drinking frequency, drinks per drinking day and drinking , 5 drinks on at least one occasion in the past month (i.e. heavy episodic drinking). Findings Regression analyses showed associations between the ACM and total monthly intake of alcohol (P < 0.0001), drinks per drinking day (P < 0.0001) and heavy episodic drinking (P < 0.0001), but not with frequency of drinking days. Hostility, drinks per drinking day, heavy episodic drinking and total monthly alcohol intake were also associated with all-cause mortality (all Ps < 0.0001). Further analyses showed that drinking pattern, particularly drinks per drinking day, may account partially for the relation of hostility to mortality. Conclusions High hostility is associated with elevated mortality and a deleterious drinking pattern characterized by relatively high intake per drinking occasion. Drinking pattern could help explain the relationships between hostility and health. [source] Alcohol-specific rules, personality and adolescents' alcohol use: a longitudinal person,environment studyADDICTION, Issue 7 2007Haske Van Der Vorst ABSTRACT Aims To examine the bi-directional associations between providing alcohol-specific rules and adolescents' alcohol use. Further, to explore person,environment interactions, we tested whether Big Five personality traits moderate the assumed association between providing alcohol-specific rules and adolescents' alcohol use. Design Longitudinal data (three waves in 2 years) from 428 families, consisting of both parents and two adolescents (aged 13,16 years) were used for the analyses. Analyses were conducted on four samples: a group of older adolescents and a group of younger adolescents who already consumed alcohol, and a group of older and younger adolescents who were not drinking at baseline measurement. Findings In general, results of structural equation modelling showed that providing clear alcohol-specific rules lowers the likelihood of drinking initiation, regardless of the age of the youngsters. Once adolescents have established a drinking pattern, the impact of parental alcohol-specific rules declined or even disappeared. Finally, the Big Five personality traits did not moderate the association between providing alcohol-specific rules and adolescents' alcohol involvement. Conclusions In sum, in particular during the initiation phase of drinking, parents could prevent the drinking of their offspring, regardless of the age or personality of their youngsters, by providing clear alcohol-specific rules. [source] Alcohol drinking pattern and subjective health in a population-based studyADDICTION, Issue 9 2006Saverio Stranges ABSTRACT Aims Some patterns of alcohol consumption (e.g. binge drinking, drinking outside of meals) have been associated with detrimental effects on health outcomes. Subjective health provides a global assessment of health status and is a strong predictor of total mortality; however, little is known about its relationship with alcohol drinking pattern. The association between several drinking patterns (i.e. drinking intensity and frequency, frequency of intoxication, drinking outside of meals, and beverage type) and subjective health was examined in a random sample of 3586 women and men. Design A population-based cross-sectional study. Methods Subjective health was assessed using the physical and mental health component summaries of the Short Form-36 health survey questionnaire. Alcohol consumption refers to the 30 days before the interview. Analysis of covariance compared gender-specific mean scores across alcohol drinking patterns. Findings Overall, non-current drinkers reported poorer physical and mental health than life-time abstainers and current drinkers, while no consistent differences were found between life-time abstainers and current drinkers. In female current drinkers, daily drinking, beer and mixed beverage consumption were associated with better mental health. In male current drinkers, moderate alcohol consumption (2,2.9 drinks per day), wine and mixed beverage consumption were associated with better physical health. Intoxication and liquor consumption were associated with poorer mental health in women and poorer physical health in men. No consistent associations were found for drinking outside meals. Conclusions Aspects of drinking pattern may affect subjective health differentially in women and men. Overall, intoxication and liquor drinking are associated with poorer self-perceived health status than regular, moderate consumption of other alcoholic beverages. [source] Carcinogenetic impact of ADH1B and ALDH2 genes on squamous cell carcinoma risk of the esophagus with regard to the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and betel quidINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 6 2008Chien-Hung Lee Abstract The consumption of alcohol, tobacco and betel quid has been found to be an important contributor to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Taiwan. The genotoxic effect of the ADH1B and ALDH2 genes modulating an individual's alcohol-metabolizing capacity on ESCC may be linked to drinking behavior, intake pattern and other exogenous factors. To investigate the interplay of these genetic and environmental factors in determining the risk of ESCC, a multicenter case-control study was conducted. Here, 406 patients with pathology-proven ESCC, as well as 656 gender, age and study hospital matched controls were recruited. Genetic polymorphisms of ADH1B and ALDH2 appeared to correlate with the abstinence of alcohol, though not with tobacco and betel quid. Within the same levels of alcohol consumption, carcinoma risks increased along with an increase in the numbers of ADH1B*1 and ALDH2*2 alleles. The inactive ALDH2*1/*2 genotype was found to multiplicatively interact with a low-to-moderate (0.1,30 g/day) and a heavy (>30 g/day) ethanol intake to increase the ESCC risk (the joint aOR = 14.5 and 102.6, respectively). Among low-to-moderate drinkers, a smoking-dependent carcinogenetic effect for the ADH1B*1/*1 and ALDH2*1/*2+*2/*2 genotypes was recognized, with significant risks found in smokers, but not in nonsmokers. Further, a supra-multiplicative combined risk of ESCC for alcohol and tobacco use was identified among carriers of the ADH1B*1/*1 genotype (p for interaction = 0.042). In conclusion, the interplay of the ADH1B and ALDH2 genotypes, in conjunction with a behaved drinking habit and a practiced drinking pattern, along with continued tobacco consumption, plays an important pathogenic role in modulating ESCC risk. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effects of a Novel Cognition-Enhancing Agent on Fetal Ethanol-Induced Learning DeficitsALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2010Daniel D. Savage Background:, Drinking during pregnancy has been associated with learning disabilities in affected offspring. At present, there are no clinically effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions for these learning deficits. Here, we examined the effects of ABT-239, a histamine H3 receptor antagonist, on fetal ethanol-induced fear conditioning and spatial memory deficits. Methods and Results:, Long-Evans rat dams stably consumed a mean of 2.82 g ethanol/kg during a 4-hour period each day during pregnancy. This voluntary drinking pattern produced a mean peak serum ethanol level of 84 mg/dl. Maternal weight gain, litter size and birth weights were not different between the ethanol-consuming and control groups. Female adult offspring from the control and fetal alcohol-exposed (FAE) groups received saline or 1 mg ABT-239/kg 30 minutes prior to fear conditioning training. Three days later, freezing time to the context was significantly reduced in saline-treated FAE rats compared to control. Freezing time in ABT-239-treated FAE rats was not different than that in controls. In the spatial navigation study, adult male offspring received a single injection of saline or ABT-239 30 minutes prior to 12 training trials on a fixed platform version of the Morris Water Task. All rats reached the same performance asymptote on Trials 9 to 12 on Day 1. However, 4 days later, first-trial retention of platform location was significantly worse in the saline-treated FAE rats compared control offspring. Retention by ABT-239-treated FAE rats was similar to that by controls. ABT-239's effect on spatial memory retention in FAE rats was dose dependent. Conclusions:, These results suggest that ABT-239 administered prior to training can improve retention of acquired information by FAE offspring on more challenging versions of hippocampal-sensitive learning tasks. Further, the differential effects of ABT-239 in FAE offspring compared to controls raises questions about the impact of fetal ethanol exposure on histaminergic neurotransmission in affected offspring. [source] Comparing Structural Equation Models That Use Different Measures of the Level of Response to AlcoholALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2010Marc A. Schuckit Background:, The two measures of a low level of response (LR) to alcohol, an alcohol challenge and the retrospective Self-Report of the Effects of Alcohol questionnaire (SRE), each identify individuals at high risk for heavy drinking and alcohol problems. These measures also perform similarly in identifying subjects with unique functional brain imaging characteristics. However, few data are available regarding whether alcohol challenge-based and SRE-based LRs operate similarly in structural equation models (SEMs) that search for characteristics, which help to mediate how LR impacts alcohol outcomes. Methods:, Two hundred and ninety-four men from the San Diego Prospective Study were evaluated for their LR to alcohol using alcohol challenges at ,age 20. At ,age 35, the same subjects filled out the SRE regarding the number of drinks needed for effects 15 to 20 years earlier. The two different LR scores for these men were used in SEM analyses evaluating how LR relates to future heavy drinking and to drinking in peers (PEER), alcohol expectancies (EXPECT), and drinking to cope (COPE) as potential mediators of the LR to drinking pattern (ALCOUT) relationships. Results:, While the 2 LR measures that were determined 15 years apart related to each other at a modest level (r = 0.17, p < 0.01), the SEM results were similar regardless of the LR source. In both alcohol challenge-based and SRE-based LR models, LR related directly to ALCOUT, with partial mediation from PEER and COPE, but not through EXPECT in these 35-year-old men. Conclusions:, Consistent with the >60% overlap in prediction of outcomes for the 2 LR measures, and with results from functional brain imaging, alcohol challenge- and SRE-based LR values operated similarly in SEM models in these men. [source] Characterizing and Reaching High-Risk Drinkers Using Audience SegmentationALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2009Howard B. Moss Background:, Market or audience segmentation is widely used in social marketing efforts to help planners identify segments of a population to target for tailored program interventions. Market-based segments are typically defined by behaviors, attitudes, knowledge, opinions, or lifestyles. They are more helpful to health communication and marketing planning than epidemiologically defined groups because market-based segments are similar in respect to how they behave or might react to marketing and communication efforts. However, market segmentation has rarely been used in alcohol research. As an illustration of its utility, we employed commercial data that describes the sociodemographic characteristics of high-risk drinkers as an audience segment, including where they tend to live, lifestyles, interests, consumer behaviors, alcohol consumption behaviors, other health-related behaviors, and cultural values. Such information can be extremely valuable in targeting and planning public health campaigns, targeted mailings, prevention interventions, and research efforts. Methods:, We described the results of a segmentation analysis of those individuals who self-reported to consume 5 or more drinks per drinking episode at least twice in the last 30 days. The study used the proprietary PRIZMÔ (Claritas, Inc., San Diego, CA) audience segmentation database merged with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database. The top 10 of the 66 PRIZMÔ audience segments for this risky drinking pattern are described. For five of these segments we provided additional in-depth details about consumer behavior and the estimates of the market areas where these risky drinkers resided. Results:, The top 10 audience segments (PRIZM clusters) most likely to engage in high-risk drinking are described. The cluster with the highest concentration of binge-drinking behavior is referred to as the "Cyber Millenials." This cluster is characterized as "the nation's tech-savvy singles and couples living in fashionable neighborhoods on the urban fringe." Almost 65% of Cyber Millenials households are found in the Pacific and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. Additional consumer behaviors of the Cyber Millenials and other segments are also described. Conclusions:, Audience segmentation can assist in identifying and describing target audience segments, as well as identifying places where segments congregate on- or offline. This information can be helpful for recruiting subjects for alcohol prevention research as well as planning health promotion campaigns. Through commercial data about high-risk drinkers as "consumers," planners can develop interventions that have heightened salience in terms of opportunities, perceptions, and motivations, and have better media channel identification. [source] Ethyl Glucuronide in Hair Compared With Traditional Alcohol Biomarkers,A Pilot Study of Heavy Drinkers Referred to an Alcohol Detoxification UnitALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009Gudrun Høiseth Background:, Traditional biomarkers for heavy alcohol use include serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), the enzymes aspartate aminotranserase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as well as gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Measurement of the nonoxidative ethanol metabolite, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in hair, has been proposed as a new marker with superior qualities. The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of EtG in hair to detect heavy alcohol use compared with CDT, AST, ALT, and GGT. We also wanted to study the quantitative relation between alcohol intake and the different biomarkers. Methods:, Sixteen patients with a history of heavy alcohol use over the previous 3 months were recruited directly after admission to a withdrawal clinic. They were thoroughly interviewed about their drinking pattern as well as relevant diseases and use of medicines or drugs. Serum was sampled and analyzed for %CDT, AST, ALT, and GGT. Hair samples were collected and analyzed for EtG. Results:, The mean estimated daily intake (EDI) over the previous 3 months was 206 ± 136 g pure alcohol. All patients fulfilled the criteria for heavy alcohol use. The sensitivity to detect heavy alcohol use was 64% for %CDT, 67% for AST, 67% for ALT, 93% for GGT, and 94% for EtG. There was no correlation between the quantitative values of EDI and %CDT, AST, ALT, and GGT. There was a positive, statistically significant correlation between EDI and the level of EtG in hair. Conclusions:, In this study, EtG in hair and GGT showed the best sensitivity to detect heavy alcohol use and there was a positive correlation between EDI and the concentrations of EtG in hair. Before giving recommendations for clinical practice, further studies should be carried out on larger materials and populations with a wider range of alcohol intake. [source] Drinking Patterns and Myocardial Infarction: A Linear Dose,Response ModelALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2009Marcia Russell Background:, The relation of alcohol intake to cardiovascular health is complex, involving both protective and harmful effects, depending on the amount and pattern of consumption. Interpretation of data available on the nature of these relations is limited by lack of well-specified, mathematical models relating drinking patterns to alcohol-related consequences. Here we present such a model and apply it to data on myocardial infarction (MI). Methods:, The dose,response model derived assumes: (1) each instance of alcohol use has an effect that either increases or decreases the likelihood of an alcohol-related consequence, and (2) greater quantities of alcohol consumed on any drinking day add linearly to these increases or decreases in risk. Risk was reduced algebraically to a function of drinking frequency and dosage (volume minus frequency, a measure of the extent to which drinkers have more than 1 drink on days when they drink). In addition to estimating the joint impact of frequency and dosage, the model provides a method for calculating the point at which risk related to alcohol consumption is equal to background risk from other causes. A bootstrapped logistic regression based on the dose,response model was conducted using data from a case-control study to obtain the predicted probability of MI associated with current drinking patterns, controlling for covariates. Results:, MI risk decreased with increasing frequency of drinking, but increased as drinking dosage increased. Rates of increasing MI risk associated with drinking dosage were twice as high among women as they were among men. Relative to controls, lower MI risk was associated with consuming < 4.55 drinks per drinking day for men (95% CI: 2.77 to 7.18) and < 3.08 drinks per drinking day for women (95% CI: 1.35 to 5.16), increasing after these cross-over points were exceeded. Conclusions:, Use of a well-specified mathematical dose,response model provided precise estimates for the first time of how drinking frequency and dosage each contribute linearly to the overall impact of a given drinking pattern on MI risk in men and women. [source] Two-Year Outcome of an Intervention Program for University Students Who Have Parents With Alcohol Problems: A Randomized Controlled TrialALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2007Helena Hansson Background:, Only a few intervention studies aiming to change high-risk drinking behavior have involved university students with heredity for alcohol problems. This study evaluated the effects after 2 years on drinking patterns and coping behavior of intervention programs for students with parents with alcohol problems. Method:, In total, 82 university students (57 women and 25 men, average age 25 years) with at least 1 parent with alcohol problems were included in the study. The students were randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 programs: (i) alcohol intervention program, (ii) coping intervention program, or (iii) combination program. All the 3 intervention programs were manual based and individually implemented during 2 2-hour sessions, 4 weeks apart. Before the participants were randomly assigned, all were subjected to an individual baseline assessment. This assessment contained both a face-to-face interview and 6 self-completion questionnaires: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, estimated Blood Alcohol Concentration, Short Index of Problems, the Symptom Checklist-90, Coping with Parents' Abuse Questionnaire, and The Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI). Follow-up interviews were conducted after 1 and 2 years, respectively. The results after 1 year have previously been reported. Results:, All participants finished the baseline assessment, accepted and completed the intervention. Ninety-five percent of the students completed the 24-month follow-up assessment. Only the group receiving the combination program continued to improve their drinking pattern significantly (p < 0.05) from the 12-month follow-up to the 24-month follow-up. The improvements in this group were significantly better than in the other 2 groups. The group receiving only alcohol intervention remained at the level of improvement achieved at the 12-month follow-up. The improvements in coping behavior achieved at the 12-month follow-up remained at the 24-month follow-up for all the 3 groups, i.e., regardless of intervention program. Conclusion:, Positive effects of alcohol intervention between 1 and 2 years were found only in the combined intervention group, contrary to the 1-year results with effects of alcohol intervention with or without a combination with coping intervention. [source] Ready to drinks are associated with heavier drinking patterns among young femalesDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 4 2008TAISIA HUCKLE Abstract Aim. To report patterns of use of ready to drinks (RTDs) and to assess if RTD consumers have heavier drinking patterns. RTDs were introduced in 1995. Method. Data from a general population sample of 7201 respondents aged 14,65 years, in New Zealand in 2004, were modelled. Results. Nineteen per cent of respondents consumed RTDs. Respondents aged 14,17 and 18,24 years and females were the largest consumers of RTDs. Compared to beer, wine or spirits, being an RTD consumer predicted (1) higher typical occasion quantities for respondents aged 14,17, 18,24 and 25+ years and (2) heavier drinking for those aged 14,17 and 18,24 years. When amounts of beverages consumed were modelled, quantity of RTDs predicted higher typical occasion quantities among females of all ages. Among males beer was more predictive. Similar results were found for the heavier drinking measure. For 14,17-year-old females, RTDs consumption predicted higher annual frequency, but for the other females and males the amount of wine or beer consumed predicted higher frequency. Conclusion. RTDs were most popular among young people aged 14,17 years, and females. RTDs predicted higher typical occasion alcohol consumption and heavier drinking better than any other beverage for females aged 14,17 years. For the other age and gender groups, other beverages predicted higher quantity and frequency consumption. [source] Injury and alcohol: a hospital emergency department studyDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 2 2001ANN M. ROCHE Abstract A pilot survey was undertaken of injury presentations to a public hospital emergency department to determine patterns of alcohol use in this population. Of the 402 injury presentations in the study period, a total of 236 injury cases were interviewed, of whom 45% (n = 107) and 29% (n = 69) had consumed alcohol 24 and 6 hours prior to injury. Mean age for all injury presentations was 35.1 years, and 32.6 years for alcohol injury cases. For both injury groups, males were significantly younger than females. Recent alcohol ingestion was three times more common among male than female injury presentations, but with females drinking at significantly lower levels. Of males who had consumed alcohol 6 hours prior to injury, nearly 70% were drinking at NHMRC harmful levels and 61% had drunk more than eight standard drinks. Overall, alcohol-involved injury cases commonly occurred among low-income, single males around 30 years of age who were regular heavy drinkers who were drinking heavily in licensed premises prior to their injury, and who sustained injury through intentional harm. In addition, one in five of the alcohol-involved injury cases were aged 15,18 years, i.e. below the legal age of purchase. The high proportion of hazardous and harmful drinkers among those who had consumed alcohol within the last 6 hours, and the injury sample overall, highlights the need for further research to explore the relationship between the occurrence of injury and the drinking patterns and environments associated with injury. Further research is also required to assess the efficacy of early and brief interventions for alcohol and drug use within the emergency ward setting. This information would enable appropriate public health interventions to be initiated. [source] Matching motivation enhancement treatment to client motivation: re-examining the Project MATCH motivation matching hypothesisADDICTION, Issue 8 2010Katie Witkiewitz ABSTRACT Aims The current study was designed to re-examine the motivation matching hypothesis from Project MATCH using growth mixture modeling, an analytical technique that models variation in individual drinking patterns. Design, setting and participants Secondary data analyses of data from Project MATCH (n = 1726), a large multi-site alcoholism treatment-matching study. Measurements Percentage of drinking days was the primary outcome measure, assessed from 1 month to 12 months following treatment. Treatment assignment, alcohol dependence symptoms and baseline percentage of drinking days were included as covariates. Findings The results provided support for the motivation matching hypothesis in the out-patient sample and among females in the aftercare sample: the majority of individuals with lower baseline motivation had better outcomes if assigned to motivation enhancement treatment (MET) compared to those assigned to cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT). In the aftercare sample there was a moderating effect of gender and alcohol dependence severity, whereby males with lower baseline motivation and greater alcohol dependence drank more frequently if assigned to MET compared to those assigned to CBT. Conclusions Results from the current study lend partial support to the motivation-matching hypothesis and also demonstrated the importance of moderating influences on treatment matching effectiveness. Based upon these findings, individuals with low baseline motivation in out-patient settings and males with low levels of alcohol dependence or females in aftercare settings may benefit more from motivational enhancement techniques than from cognitive,behavioral techniques. [source] Socio-economic status predicts drinking patterns but not alcohol-related consequences independentlyADDICTION, Issue 7 2010Taisia Huckle ABSTRACT Aim To identify independent relationships between socio-economic status and drinking patterns and related consequences and to identify socio-economic groups at risk for heavier consumption. Design and setting Three comparable national telephone surveys were utilized: 1995, 2000 and 2004. The respondents were aged 18,65 years. Contextual information includes that a number of liberalized alcohol policy changes occurred over the time of the surveys. Results Educational qualification, income and occupation were associated independently with alcohol consumption. There were indications that the different dimensions of drinking (quantity and frequency) had different relationships with socio-economic status (SES). For example, lower SES groups drank heavier quantities while higher SES groups drank more frequently. SES, however, did not play a major role predicting drinking consequences once drinking patterns were controlled for, although there were some exceptions. It was the lower-to-average SES groups that were at greater risk for drinking heavier quantities compared to other SES groups in the population (as they had sustained increases in the quantities they consumed over time where other SES groups did not). Conclusion Socio-economic status was related independently to drinking patterns and there were indications that SES interacted differently with the different dimensions of drinking (quantity and frequency). For the most part, socio-economic status was not related independently to the experience of alcohol-related consequences once drinking patterns were accounted for. It was the lower-to-average SES groups that were at greater risk for drinking heavier quantities compared to other SES groups in the population. [source] Changes in alcohol consumption and beverage preference among adolescents after the introduction of the alcopops tax in GermanyADDICTION, Issue 7 2010Stefanie Müller ABSTRACT Aims The aim of this study is to assess the contribution of the alcopops tax to changes in alcohol consumption and beverage preference among adolescents in Germany. We hypothesize that the decrease of alcohol intake by alcopops is substituted by an increase of alcohol intake by other alcoholic beverages. Design Data came from the German 2003 (n = 10 551) and 2007 (n = 10 598) cross-sectional study of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). Participants A propensity score-matched subsample of 9th and 10th graders (n = 4694) was used for the analyses. Measurement Alcohol consumption within the last 7 days was assessed by a beverage-specific quantity,frequency index. An individual's beverage preference was assigned for the beverage that had the highest share in total alcohol consumption. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess changes in alcohol consumption; changes in beverage preference were tested using multinomial logistic regression. Findings While alcopop consumption declined after the alcopops tax was implemented, consumption of spirits increased. Changes in beverage preference revealed a decrease in alcopop preference and an increase in the preference for beer and spirits. Conclusions Results indicate a partial substitution of alcopops by spirits and a switch in preference to beverages associated with riskier drinking patterns. Effective alcohol policies to prevent alcohol-related problems should focus upon the reduction of total alcohol consumption instead of regulating singular beverages. [source] Do maternal parenting practices predict problematic patterns of adolescent alcohol consumption?ADDICTION, Issue 5 2010Rosa Alati ABSTRACT Objective This study examines whether a mother's style of parenting at child age 5 years predicts problematic patterns of drinking in adolescence, after controlling for relevant individual, maternal and social risk factors. Methods Data were used from the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy, an Australian longitudinal study of mothers and their children from pregnancy to when the children were 14 years of age. Logistic regression analyses examined whether maternal parenting practices at child age 5 predicted problematic drinking patterns in adolescence, after controlling for a range of confounding covariates. Results Physical punishment at child age 5 did not predict adolescent alcohol problems at follow-up. Results indicated that low maternal control at child age 5 predicted adolescent occasional drinking patterns at age 14. More frequent maternal partner change coupled with lower levels of control was the strongest predictor of more problematic patterns of drinking by adolescents. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of family structure and level of parental control in the development of problematic patterns of drinking in adolescence. [source] Evidence of a complex association between dose, pattern and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and child behaviour problemsADDICTION, Issue 1 2010Colleen M. O'Leary ABSTRACT Background There is a lack of evidence regarding the effect of dose, pattern and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and behaviour problems in children aged 2 years and older. Methods A 10% random sample of women delivering a live infant in Western Australia (1995,96) were invited to participate in an 8-year longitudinal survey (78% response rate n = 2224); 85% were followed-up at 2 years, 73% at 5 years and 61% at 8 years. Alcohol consumption was classified by combining the overall dose, dose per occasion and frequency to reflect realistic drinking patterns. Longitudinal analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to investigate the association between child behaviour as measured by the Child Behaviour Checklist at 2, 5 and 8 years of age and prenatal alcohol exposure collected 3 months postpartum for each trimester separately, adjusting for a wide range of confounding factors. Results Low levels of prenatal alcohol were not associated with child behaviour problems. There were increased odds of internalizing behaviour problems following heavy alcohol exposure in the first trimester; anxiety/depression [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.82; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07,7.43] and somatic complaints (aOR 2.74; 95% CI 1.47,5.12) and moderate levels of alcohol exposure increased the odds of anxiety/depression (aOR 2.24; 95% CI 1.16,4.34). Conclusions Prenatal alcohol exposure at moderate and higher levels increased the odds of child behaviour problems with the dose, pattern and timing of exposure affecting the type of behaviour problems expressed. Larger studies with more power are needed to confirm these findings. [source] Diverse alcohol drinking patterns in 20 African countriesADDICTION, Issue 7 2009Thomas Clausen ABSTRACT Aims This paper describes drinking patterns in 20 African countries, exploring the extent of abstention, heavy occasional drinking and daily light drinking and how these aspects of drinking are inter-related. Design and participants Data were collected as part of the World Health Survey in 2002,04 and comprise national representative data sets from 20 African countries. A cross-sectional survey of 77 165 adults aged 18 years and older were undertaken by face-to-face interviews in respondent households. Measures Drinking behaviour was assessed in terms of life-time abstention and the following measures over the 7 days immediately preceding interview: high consumption (15 or more drinks); heavy drinking occasions (five or more standard units at at least one session) and daily light drinking (one or two drinks daily). Findings In four countries (Comoros, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal), virtually all respondents were life-time abstainers. The prevalence of current drinkers (previous week) did not exceed one-third in any country. Among current drinkers the prevalence of heavy drinking varied between 7% and 77% and the prevalence of daily light drinkers varied between 0% and 21%. Overall drinking patterns varied significantly between and within the examined African countries. Conclusions African drinking patterns are diverse, and although life-time abstinence dominates in African countries, a single typical pattern of drinking for the African continent, such as the alleged ,all-or-none' pattern, was not observed. [source] Binge drinking and depressive symptoms: a 5-year population-based cohort studyADDICTION, Issue 7 2009Tapio Paljärvi ABSTRACT Background Only few prospective population studies have been able so far to investigate depression and drinking patterns in detail. Therefore, little is known about what aspect of alcohol consumption best predicts symptoms of depression in the general population. Participants and design In this prospective population-based two-wave cohort study, a cohort of alcohol-drinking men and women (n = 15 926) were followed-up after 5 years. A postal questionnaire was sent in 1998 (response proportion 40%) and again in 2003 (response proportion 80% of the baseline participants) to Finnish adults aged 20,54 years at baseline. Measurements Alcohol consumption was measured by average intake (g/week) and by measures of binge drinking (intoxications, hangovers and alcohol-induced pass-outs). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, information from hospital discharge register for depression and alcohol abuse were linked to the data. Findings This study found a positive association between baseline binge drinking and depressive symptoms 5 years later. Adjustment for several possible confounders attenuated the observed relationships only slightly, suggesting that binge drinking contributes independently to the occurrence of depressive symptoms. Binge drinking was related to symptoms of depression independently of average intake. Conclusions This study supports the hypothesis that heavy drinking, and in particular a binge pattern involving intoxications, hangovers or pass-outs, produces depressive symptoms in the general population. The frequency of hangovers was the best predictor for depressive symptoms. [source] | |||||||||||||