scholarly journals Are there non-linear relationships between alcohol consumption and long-term health?: a systematic review of observational studies employing approaches to improve causal inference

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Visontay ◽  
Matthew Sunderland ◽  
Tim Slade ◽  
Jack Wilson ◽  
Louise Mewton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Causal Inference ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Functional Forms

Abstract Background Research has long found ‘J-shaped’ relationships between alcohol consumption and certain health outcomes, indicating a protective effect of moderate consumption. However, methodological limitations in most studies hinder causal inference. This review aimed to identify all observational studies employing improved approaches to mitigate confounding in characterizing alcohol–long-term health relationships, and to qualitatively synthesize their findings. Methods Eligible studies met the above description, were longitudinal (with pre-defined exceptions), discretized alcohol consumption, and were conducted with human populations. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and SCOPUS were searched in May 2020, yielding 16 published manuscripts reporting on cancer, diabetes, dementia, mental health, cardiovascular health, mortality, HIV seroconversion, and musculoskeletal health. Risk of bias of cohort studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and a recently developed tool was used for Mendelian Randomization studies. Results A variety of functional forms were found, including reverse J/J-shaped relationships for prostate cancer and related mortality, dementia risk, mental health, and certain lipids. However, most outcomes were only evaluated by a single study, and few studies provided information on the role of alcohol consumption pattern. Conclusions More research employing enhanced causal inference methods is urgently required to accurately characterize alcohol–long-term health relationships. Those studies that have been conducted find a variety of linear and non-linear functional forms, with results tending to be discrepant even within specific health outcomes. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number CRD42020185861.

scholarly journals 1168Are there non-linear alcohol–health relationships?: Review of observational studies employing enhanced causal methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Visontay ◽  
Matthew Sunderland ◽  
Tim Slade ◽  
Jack Wilson ◽  
Louise Mewton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Causal Inference ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Functional Forms

Abstract Focus of Presentation Research has long found ‘J-shaped’ relationships between alcohol consumption and certain health outcomes, indicating a protective effect of moderate consumption. However, methodological limitations in most studies hinder causal inference. While enhanced methods for data analysis (e.g. G-methods) and alternative observational designs (e.g. Mendelian Randomisation) have been developed, they are not commonly applied to alcohol–health research. This presentation will report on a systematic review of observational studies that employ improved approaches to mitigate confounding in characterising alcohol–long-term health relationships (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020185861). Findings MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and SCOPUS were searched in May 2020, yielding 16 published manuscripts reporting on cancer, diabetes, dementia, mental health, cardiovascular health, mortality, HIV seroconversion, and musculoskeletal health. Study findings were qualitatively synthesised. A variety of functional forms were found, including reverse J/J-shaped relationships for prostate cancer and related mortality, dementia risk, mental health, and certain lipids. However, most outcomes were only evaluated by a single study, and few studies provided information on the role of alcohol consumption pattern. Conclusions/Implications More research employing enhanced causal inference methods is urgently required to accurately characterise alcohol–long-term health relationships. Those studies that have been conducted find a variety of linear and non-linear functional forms, with results tending to be discrepant even within specific health outcomes. Key messages A systematic review found that those studies of alcohol–long-term health relationships employing enhanced causal methods are too few and inconsistent to establish whether non-linear alcohol–health relationships exist.

scholarly journals Are there non-linear relationships between alcohol consumption and long-term health?: A systematic review of observational studies employing approaches to improve causal inference

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Visontay ◽  
Matthew Sunderland ◽  
Tim Slade ◽  
Jack Wilson ◽  
Louise Mewton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Causal Inference ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Hiv Seroconversion

Research has long found ‘J-shaped’ relationships between alcohol consumption and certain health outcomes, indicating a protective effect of moderate consumption. However, methodological limitations in most studies hinder causal inference. This review aimed to identify all observational studies employing improved approaches to mitigate confounding in characterizing alcohol–long-term health relationships, and to qualitatively synthesize their findings (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020185861). Eligible studies met the above description, were longitudinal (with pre-defined exceptions), discretized alcohol consumption, and were conducted with human populations. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and SCOPUS were searched in May 2020, yielding 16 published manuscripts reporting on cancer, diabetes, dementia, mental health, cardiovascular health, mortality, HIV seroconversion, and musculoskeletal health. Risk of bias of cohort studies was evaluated using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale, and a recently developed tool was used for Mendelian Randomization studies. A variety of functional forms were found, including reverse J/J-shaped relationships for prostate cancer and related mortality, dementia risk, mental health, and certain lipids. However, most outcomes were only evaluated by a single study, and few studies provided information on the role of alcohol consumption pattern. More research employing enhanced causal inference methods is urgently required to accurately characterize alcohol–long term health relationships.

scholarly journals Are there non-linear relationships between alcohol consumption and long-term health? Protocol for a systematic review of observational studies employing approaches to improve causal inference

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e043985
Author(s):  
Rachel Visontay ◽  
Matthew Sunderland ◽  
Tim Slade ◽  
Jack Wilson ◽  
Louise Mewton
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Causal Inference ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
The Relationship

IntroductionThere is a substantial literature finding that moderate alcohol consumption is protective against certain health conditions. However, more recent research has highlighted the possibility that these findings are methodological artefacts, caused by confounding and other biases. While modern analytical and study design approaches can mitigate confounding and thus enhance causal inference in observational studies, they are not routinely applied in research assessing the relationship between alcohol use and long-term health outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify observational studies that employ these analytical/design-based approaches in assessing whether relationships between alcohol consumption and health outcomes are non-linear. This review seeks to evaluate, on a per-outcome basis, what these studies find the strength and form of the relationship between alcohol consumption and health to be.Methods and analysisElectronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and SCOPUS) were searched in May 2020. Study selection will comply with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles will be screened against eligibility criteria intended to capture studies using observational data to assess the relationship between varying levels of alcohol exposure and any long-term health outcome (actual or surrogate), and that have employed at least one of the prespecified approaches to enhancing causal inference. Risk of bias of included articles will be assessed using study design-specific tools. A narrative synthesis of the results is planned.Ethics and disseminationFormal ethics approval is not required given there will be no primary data collection. The results of the study will be disseminated through published manuscripts, conferences and seminar presentations.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020185861.

scholarly journals Are there non-linear relationships between alcohol consumption and long-term health?: Protocol for a systematic review of observational studies employing approaches to improve causal inference

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Visontay ◽  
Matthew Sunderland ◽  
Tim Slade ◽  
Jack Wilson ◽  
Louise Mewton
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Causal Inference ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
The Relationship

Introduction: There is a substantial literature finding that moderate alcohol consumption is protective against certain health conditions. However, more recent research has highlighted the possibility that these findings are methodological artefacts, caused by confounding and other biases. While modern analytical and study design approaches can enhance causal inference in observational studies, they are not routinely applied in research assessing the relationship between alcohol use and long-term health outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify observational studies that employ these analytical/design-based approaches in assessing whether relationships between alcohol consumption and health outcomes are non-linear. This review seeks to evaluate, on a per-outcome basis, what these studies find the strength and form of the relationship between alcohol consumption and health to be.Methods and analysis: Electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and SCOPUS) were searched in May 2020. Study selection will comply with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles will be screened against eligibility criteria intended to capture studies using observational data to assess the relationship between varying levels of alcohol exposure and any long-term health outcome (actual or surrogate), and that have employed at least one of the pre-specified approaches to enhancing causal inference. Risk of bias of included articles will be assessed using study design-specific tools. A narrative synthesis of the results is planned.

Motoric Subtypes of Delirium and Long-Term Functional and Mental Health Outcomes in Adults After Critical Illness

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. e521-e532
Author(s):  
Kimberly F. Rengel ◽  
Christina J. Hayhurst ◽  
James C. Jackson ◽  
Christina S. Boncyk ◽  
Mayur B. Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Critical Illness ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes

Lifestyle intervention strategies in early life to improve pregnancy outcomes and long-term health of offspring: a narrative review

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romy Gaillard ◽  
John Wright ◽  
Vincent W.V. Jaddoe
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Pregnancy Outcomes ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Postnatal Period ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Lifestyle Interventions ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Offspring Health

AbstractAdverse exposures during fetal life and the postnatal period influence physical, cognitive and emotional development, and predispose to an increased risk of various chronic diseases throughout the life course. Findings from large observational studies in various populations and experimental animal studies have identified different modifiable risk factors in early life. Adverse maternal lifestyle factors, including overweight, unhealthy diet, sedentary behavior, smoking, alcohol consumption and stress in the preconception period and during pregnancy, are the most common modifiable risk factors leading to a suboptimal in-utero environment for fetal development. In the postnatal period, breastfeeding, infant growth and infant dietary intake are important modifiable factors influencing long-term offspring health outcomes. Despite the large amount of findings from observational studies, translation to lifestyle interventions seems to be challenging. Currently, randomized controlled trials focused on the influence of lifestyle interventions in these critical periods on short-term and long-term maternal and offspring health outcomes are scarce, have major limitations and do not show strong effects on maternal and offspring outcomes. New and innovative approaches are needed to move from describing these causes of ill-health to start tackling them using intervention approaches. Future randomized controlled lifestyle intervention studies and innovative observational studies, using quasi-experimental designs, are needed focused on the effects of an integrated lifestyle advice from preconception onwards on pregnancy outcomes and long-term health outcomes in offspring on a population level.

scholarly journals Reframing political violence and mental health outcomes: outlining a research and action agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean region

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duncan Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Political Violence ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Guerrilla Warfare ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Forms Of Violence

In recent decades, the number of people exposed to traumatic events has significantly increased as various forms of violence, including war and political upheaval, engulf civilian populations worldwide. In spite of widespread armed conflict, guerrilla warfare and political violence in the Latin American and Caribbean region, insufficient attention had been paid in assessing the medium and long-term psychological impact and additional burden of disease, death, and disability caused by violence and wars amongst civilian populations. Following a review of the literature, a few central questions are raised: What is the short, medium and long-term health impact of extreme and sustained forms of violence in a given population? How political violence is linked to poor mental health outcomes at the individual and collective levels? Are trauma-related disorders, universal outcomes of extreme and sustained violence? These questions lead us to reframe the analysis of political violence and mental health outcomes, and reexamine the notions of trauma, after which a research and action agenda for the region is outlined. In the concluding sections, some basic principles that may prove useful when designing psychosocial interventions in post-conflict situations are reviewed.

Cognitive, physical, and mental health outcomes between long-term cannabis and tobacco users

2018 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 178-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.E. Lovell ◽  
R. Bruno ◽  
J. Johnston ◽  
A. Matthews ◽  
I. McGregor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical And Mental Health

scholarly journals THE EXTREME FACE OF SOCIAL ISOLATION: A COHORT STUDY OF UNBEFRIENDED INDIVIDUALS IN LONG-TERM CARE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S532-S533
Author(s):  
Stephanie Chamberlain ◽  
Wendy Duggleby ◽  
Pamela B Teaster ◽  
Janet Fast ◽  
Carole Estabrooks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Family Contact

Abstract Even though social isolation is a significant predictor of poor health and mortality in older adults, very little is known about social isolation in long-term care (LTC) settings. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence, demographic characteristics, health outcomes, and disease diagnoses of residents without family contact in Alberta LTC homes. Using data collected between April 2008 and March 2018, we conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Resident Assessment Instrument, Minimum Data Set, (RAI-MDS 2.0) data from 34 LTC facilities in Alberta. We identified individuals who had no contact with family or friends. Using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression, we compared the characteristics, disease diagnoses, and functional status of individuals who had no contact with family and individuals who did have contact with family. We identified a cohort of 25,330 individuals, of whom 945 had no contact with family or friends. Different from residents who had family, the cohort with no contact was younger (81.47 years, SD=11.79), and had a longer length of stay (2.71 years, SD=3.63). For residents who had contact with family, residents with no contact had a greater number of mental health diagnoses, including depression (OR: 1.21, [95% CI: 1.06-1.39]), bipolar disorder (OR: 1.80, [95% CI: 1.22-2.68]), and schizophrenia (OR: 3.9, [95% CI: 2.96-5.14]). Interpretation: Residents without family contact had a number of unique care concerns, including mental health issues and poor health outcomes. These findings have implications for the training of staff and LTC services available to these vulnerable residents.

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