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Drinking Problems (drinking + problem)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND DRINKING PROBLEMS AMONG OLDER ADULTS

ADDICTION, Issue 3 2010
RUDOLF MOOS
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

A dose,response perspective on college drinking and related problems

ADDICTION, Issue 2 2010
Paul J. Gruenewald
ABSTRACT Aims In order to examine the degree to which heavy drinking contributes to risks for problems among college drinkers this paper develops and tests a dose,response model of alcohol use that relates frequencies of drinking specific quantities of alcohol to the incidence of drinking problems. Methods A mathematical model was developed that enabled estimation of dose,response relationships between drinking quantities and drinking problems using self-report data from 8698 college drinkers across 14 campuses in California, USA. The model assumes that drinking risks are a direct monotone function of the amount consumed per day and additive across drinking days. Drinking problems accumulate across drinking occasions and are the basis for cumulative reports of drinking problems reported by college drinkers. Results Statistical analyses using the model showed that drinking problems were related to every drinking level, but increased fivefold at three drinks and more gradually thereafter. Problems were associated most strongly with occasions on which three drinks were consumed, and more than half of all reported problems were related to occasions on which four or fewer drinks were consumed. There were some important differences in dose,responsiveness between men and women and between different groups of ,light', ,moderate' and ,heavier' drinkers. Conclusion Many problems among college students are associated with drinking relatively small amounts of alcohol (two to four drinks). Programs to reduce college drinking problems should emphasize risks associated with low drinking levels. [source]

Using systemic reflective practice to treat couples and families with alcohol problems

JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 7 2010
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Accessible summary ,,Alcohol services in the UK generally treat clients from an individual medical and psychiatric perspective. Carers, partners, children and other family members are infrequently actively involved in the clients' care process. ,,A reflective family-based approach was introduced in an attempt to improve treatment engagement with drinkers with relatives. Favourable findings from several self-reporting research and evaluation studies are provided and analysed. ,,The use of this intervention was found to be effective in facilitating change in drinking and relationships. Family members when involved in the care management proved to be influential in the behaviour change process. ,,Family group reflecting interventions should be used more extensively and involvement of partners and family members in care programmes should be promoted. Implications for the extended use of the intervention both in addiction settings and wider health and social care practice are discussed. Abstract In the UK, an adult with a drinking problem is generally treated from an individual perspective with minimal involvement of carers and relatives. In response to this gap in service provision, a systemic reflecting intervention was introduced to assist couples and families experiencing alcohol-related difficulties. The article documents the background and development of this initiative. Findings from evaluation and clinical outcome studies are reviewed and demonstrate how the use of the approach proved to be effective in facilitating positive change both in drinking and family behaviour. In conclusion, the paper explores the implications of how systemic reflective practice with family groups may be extended and be usefully used in wider addiction, diverse mental and general health-care settings. [source]

A dose,response perspective on college drinking and related problems

Older adults' alcohol consumption and late-life drinking problems: a 20-year perspective

ADDICTION, Issue 8 2009
Rudolf H. Moos
ABSTRACT Aims The aim of this study was to identify changes in patterns of alcohol consumption over a 20-year interval among older women and men, and to examine the associations between guideline-defined excessive drinking and late-life drinking problems. Design, participants and measures A community sample of 719 adults between 55 and 65 years of age who consumed alcohol at or prior to baseline participated in a survey of alcohol consumption and drinking problems and was followed 10 years and 20 years later. Findings The likelihood of excessive drinking declined over the 20-year interval as adults matured into their 70s and 80s. However, at ages 75,85, 27.1% of women and 48.6% of men consumed more than two drinks per day or seven drinks per week. At comparable guideline levels of alcohol consumption, older men were more likely to have drinking problems than were older women. Consumption of more than two drinks per day or seven drinks per week was identified as a potential conservative guideline for identifying excessive drinking associated with an elevated likelihood of drinking problems. Conclusions A substantial percentage of older adults who consume alcohol engage in guideline-defined excessive drinking and incur drinking problems. The finding that older men may be more likely than older women to experience problems when they drink beyond guideline levels suggests that alcohol guidelines for men should not be set higher than those for women. [source]

Comparison of three models of alcohol craving in young adults: a cross-validation

ADDICTION, Issue 4 2004
Peter M. McEvoy
ABSTRACT Aims The aim of study 1 was to develop a three-factor Approach and Avoidance of Alcohol Questionnaire (AAAQ), designed to assess mild and intense inclinations to drink, as well as inclinations to avoid drinking. The aims of study 2 were to cross-validate the AAAQ with an independent sample and to test the goodness-of-fit of three models of craving for alcohol: (a) the traditional unidimensional model; (b) a two-dimensional, approach,avoidance ambivalence model; and (c) an expanded two-dimensional neuroanatomical model that retains avoidance, while positing a threshold that partitions approach into two distinct levels and relates all three factors involved in craving to brain pathways associated with inhibitory processes, reward and obsessive,compulsive behaviour, respectively. Design, setting and participants The survey was administered to 589 Australian university students (69% women) in study 1 and to 523 American university students (64% women) in study 2. Measurements Inclinations to drink and to not drink (AAAQ), drinking behaviour (quantity and frequency), drinking problems (Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test; YAAPST) and readiness for change (Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale; SOCRATES). Findings The expanded two-dimensional neuroanatomical model provided the best fit to the data. The AAAQ explained a substantial proportion of the variance in drinking frequency (41,53%), drinking quantity (49,60%) and drinking problems (43%). AAAQ profiles differed as a function of drinking-related risk, and the three AAAQ scales differentially predicted readiness for change. Conclusions Approach and avoidance inclinations toward alcohol are separable constructs, and their activation may not be invariably reciprocal. Craving can be defined as the relative activation of substance-related response inclinations along these two primary dimensions. There may be a threshold of intensity that separates mild from intense approach inclinations. [source]

Brief Motivational Interviewing for DWI Recidivists Who Abuse Alcohol and Are Not Participating in DWI Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2010
Thomas G. Brown
Background:, Driving while impaired (DWI) recidivists with unresolved alcohol use problems pose an ongoing risk for traffic safety. Following conviction, many do not participate in mandated alcohol evaluation and intervention programs, or continue to drink problematically after being relicensed. This study investigated if, in DWI recidivists with alcohol problems and not currently involved in DWI intervention, Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) produced greater reductions in risky drinking at 6- and 12-month follow-up compared to an information-advice control condition. Additional analyses explored whether BMI was associated with greater readiness to change, subsequent substance abuse treatment service utilization, and satisfaction compared to the control condition. Methods:, Male and female recidivists with drinking problems and not currently engaged in DWI intervention were recruited, evaluated, and then randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 manualized interventions: 30-minute BMI session or information-advice. Participants, interviewers, researchers, and statisticians were blind to assignment. Outcomes were changed in: percent of risky drinking days (i.e., ,3 standard drinks/d for males; ,2 for females) in the previous 6 months derived from the Timeline Followback, biomarkers of alcohol abuse (GGT, AST, ALT, MCV) by blood assay, and alcohol abuse-related behaviors using the MMPI-Mac scale. Data from the Readiness to Change Questionnaire, a substance abuse service utilization questionnaire, and the Client Satisfaction Scale were also collected. Results:, Analyses revealed significant declines in risky drinking with both interventions. BMI (n = 92) resulted in a 25% reduction in risky drinking days at 12-month follow-up, which compared to the control intervention (n = 92) represented a significant decline from 6-month levels. Exposure to BMI also produced significantly greater improvement at 6-month follow-up in a biomarker of alcohol abuse and a behavioral measure related to recidivism risk. Exploration of readiness to change, substance abuse service utilization, and satisfaction with intervention indicated a perception of BMI being more useful in coping with problems. Conclusions:, Brief MI approaches warrant further implementation and effectiveness research as an opportunistic DWI intervention strategy to reduce risks associated with alcohol use outside of clinical and DWI relicensing settings. [source]

Alcohol Consumption, Lung Function, and Quality of Life in Pneumoconiosis

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2005
Wai Kwong Tang
Background: To our knowledge, there are no previous data on drinking problems in patients with pneumoconiosis. The aim of this study was to examine drinking patterns and the impact of drinking on lung function and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Chinese patients with pneumoconiosis. Methods: Three hundred patients with pneumoconiosis were recruited from a community-based case registry. The HRQOL was measured with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Pulmonary function, comorbidity, and psychosocial variables were also assessed. The alcohol use of the patients was evaluated with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification questionnaire. Results: Of the 300 patients, 72.3% (217) reported that they had not consumed any alcohol during the past year, whereas 83 patients (27.7%) did report drinking alcohol. In the drinking group, 88.0% (73) consumed <7 standard drinks per week, and none of them exceeded the safety limit of 21 standard drinks per week. The drinking group (n= 83) was younger, had less concurrent medical diseases, and lower (i.e., better) unadjusted SGRQ symptom, activity, impact, and total scores than the nondrinking group (n= 217). The SGRQ scores, which were adjusted for age, duration of occupation, concurrent medical diseases, smoking status, and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec predicted tests (FEV1%), remained significantly lower for the drinking group. Although the drinking group had a higher unadjusted FEV1% predicted, the difference between the FEV1% of the two groups, after adjustment for covariates, was of borderline significance only. Conclusions: Most Chinese patients with pneumoconiosis in this study did not consume alcohol, and among those who did, the level of alcohol consumption was low. This low level of alcohol consumption was associated with a better HRQOL and possibly with better lung function. [source]

I. Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study of Polyenylphosphatidylcholine in Alcoholic Liver Disease: Effects on Drinking Behavior by Nurse/Physician Teams

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2003
Charles S. Lieber
Background: This multicenter prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of polyenylphosphatidylcholine against the progression of liver fibrosis toward cirrhosis in alcoholics. Seven hundred eighty-nine alcoholics with an average intake of 16 drinks per day were enrolled. To control excessive drinking, patients were referred to a standard 12-step,based alcoholism treatment program, but most patients refused to attend. Accordingly, study follow-up procedures incorporated the essential features of the brief-intervention approach. An overall substantial and sustained reduction in drinking was observed. Hepatic histological and other findings are described in a companion article. Methods: Patients were randomized to receive daily three tablets of either polyenylphosphatidylcholine or placebo. Monthly follow-up visits included an extensive session with a medical nurse along with brief visits with a study physician (hepatologist or gastroenterologist). A detailed physical examination occurred every 6 months. In addition, telephone consultations with the nurse were readily available. All patients had a liver biopsy before entry; a repeat biopsy was scheduled at 24 and 48 months. Results: There was a striking decrease in average daily alcohol intake to approximately 2.5 drinks per day. This was sustained over the course of the trial, lasting from 2 to 6 years. The effect was similar both in early dropouts and long-term patients, i.e., those with a 24-month biopsy or beyond. Conclusions: In a treatment trial of alcoholic liver fibrosis, a striking reduction in alcohol consumption from 16 to 2.5 daily drinks was achieved with a brief-intervention approach, which consisted of a relative economy of therapeutic efforts that relied mainly on treatment sessions with a medical nurse accompanied by shorter reinforcing visits with a physician. This approach deserves generalization to address the heavy drinking problems commonly encountered in primary care and medical specialty practices. [source]

Alcohol-Related Problems, Drug Use, and Male Intimate Partner Violence Severity Among US Couples

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 4 2002
Carol B. Cunradi
Background: Particularly for women, level of intimate partner violence (IPV) severity is associated with risk of injury. Previous research suggests that male drinking problems and drug use are key risk factors. Few studies, however, have examined the associations between male and female alcohol problems and drug use and risk of moderate and severe male IPV in general household population samples. Methods: A multiethnic sample of 1615 married and cohabiting couples was obtained from the 1995 National Study of Couples, a cross-sectional study on alcohol and IPV. We assessed the contribution of past year male and female alcohol-related problems (i.e., drinking consequences and alcohol-dependence symptoms) and illicit drug use to the risk of moderate and severe male IPV. A series of generalized multinomial logit models, with adjustment for sociodemographic and psychosocial covariates, was constructed to assess these associations. Results: Female and male alcohol-related problems and female drug use, were associated with increased risk of moderate and severe male IPV. Contrary to our expectation, male drug use was not associated with elevated risk for either type of male IPV. Compared with couples residing in low-unemployment neighborhoods, couples residing in high-unemployment neighborhoods were at greater risk for severe, but not moderate, male IPV. Conclusions: Alcohol-related problems among men and women and drug use among women, appear to be important correlates of male IPV severity among couples in the general population. These findings can aid in IPV screening efforts, the formulation of prevention strategies, and help inform batterer and victim treatment programs. [source]

Gene-Environment Interaction in Patterns of Adolescent Drinking: Regional Residency Moderates Longitudinal Influences on Alcohol Use

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2001
Richard J. Rose
Background: Drinking frequency escalates rapidly during adolescence. Abstinence declines markedly, and drinking monthly or more often becomes normative. Individual differences in adolescent drinking patterns are large, and some patterns are predictive of subsequent drinking problems; little, however, is known of the gene,environment interactions that create them. Methods: Five consecutive and complete birth cohorts of Finnish twins, born 1975,1979, were enrolled sequentially into a longitudinal study and assessed, with postal questionnaires, at ages 16, 17, and 18.5 years. The sample included 1786 same-sex twin pairs, of whom 1240 pairs were concordantly drinking at age 16. Maximum likelihood models were fit in longitudinal analyses of the three waves of drinking data to assess changes in genetic and environmental influences on alcohol use across adolescence. Secondary analyses contrasted twin pairs residing in rural versus those in urban environments to investigate gene,environment interactions. Results: Longitudinal analyses revealed that genetic factors influencing drinking patterns increased in importance across the 30-month period, and effects arising from common environmental influences declined. Distributions of drinking frequencies in twins residing in urban and rural environments were highly similar, but influences on drinking varied between the two environments. Genetic factors assumed a larger role among adolescents residing in urban areas, while common environmental influences were more important in rural settings. Formal modeling of the data established a significant gene,environment interaction. Conclusions: The results document the changing impact of genetic and environmental influences on alcohol use across adolescence. Importantly, the results also reveal a significant gene,environment interaction in patterns of adolescent drinking and invite more detailed analyses of the pathways and mechanisms by which environments modulate genetic effects. [source]

Pathways to Change: The Effect of a Web Application on Treatment Interest

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL ON ADDICTIONS, Issue 4 2008
Daniel Z. Lieberman MD
Most individuals with drinking problems do not receive treatment, generally because they do not perceive the need for it. It is difficult to access this population of problem drinkers in order to encourage treatment-seeking. A Web-based program was written, designed to increase motivation for change. The program guided non-treatment-seekers through a multi-stage assessment and provided them with feedback. The level of interest in treatment was measured pre-and post-intervention. Compared to baseline, after the intervention, significantly more individuals rated themselves "very interested" in participating in some form of traditional treatment (19% vs. 28%), and their focus on a specific modality increased. [source]