Age and Living Situation As Key Factors in Understanding Changes in Alcohol Use during COVID-19 Confinement

(1) The aim of the present study was to evaluate and characterize changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 confinement in a sample of Spanish adults, analyzing their age and living situation as defining life cycle variables. (2) Method: Data from 3779 individuals were collected through a set of online surveys. AUDIT-C was used to measure the frequency of consumption, the average daily consumption, intensive consumption, risky consumption, and Standard Drink Units. (3) Results: Although alcohol consumption during confinement showed a significant general decline, age revealed important differences, with the decline being more pronounced in adults from 18 to 29 years old. The living situation also showed significant differences. The largest decreases in alcohol consumption were found in those who lived with their parents or other relatives, whereas those who lived alone or with a partner even increased their level of consumption. In addition, the data show a significant interaction between these two variables and gender. (4) Conclusions: Age and cohabitation processes are key factors in understanding the life situation of each individual during confinement and, consequently, in explaining consumption patterns. The results obtained provide interesting recommendations for designing prevention policies in both normal and crisis circumstances, emphasizing the need to understand alcohol use from a psychosocial perspective.

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Changes in Alcohol Consumption Pattern Based on Gender during COVID-19 Confinement in Spain

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18158028 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 8028

Author(s):

Víctor J. Villanueva-Blasco ◽

Verónica Villanueva Silvestre ◽

Manuel Isorna ◽

Patricia Motos ◽

Pere Blay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Adult Population ◽

Consumption Pattern ◽

Daily Consumption ◽

Standard Drink ◽

Frequency Of Use ◽

Consumption Frequency ◽

Employment Situation ◽

Males And Females ◽

Health Risk Management

(1) The goal of this study was to analyze the prevalence and pattern of alcohol consumption (frequency of consumption, average daily consumption, and risky consumption) before and during confinement due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the adult population and based on gender. (2) Methods: Data from 3779 individuals were collected via a set of online surveys. The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C) were used to measure the frequency of consumption, the average daily consumption, intensive consumption, risky consumption, and standard drink units. (3) Results: During confinement, the prevalence of alcohol consumption declined in both males and females, but only intensive consumption showed significant differences, with a greater reduction in males. The number of females who consumed alcohol four or more times per week doubled, whereas the number of males who did so was multiplied by a factor of 1.5; in both females and males, the percentage who presented intensive consumption doubled. The percentage of females with risky consumption was higher than that of males both before and during confinement. In addition to gender, the interaction between age and the employment situation explain consumption before and during confinement. (4) Conclusions: During confinement due to COVID-19, alcohol consumption declined in both sexes, but alcohol-risk consumers increased their frequency of use. The interaction between gender, age, and employment situation was related to these changes. These findings are relevant for guiding public health and health-risk management policies related to alcohol consumption in environmental situations similar to COVID-19.

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The Association between Dating Apps and Alcohol Consumption in an Italian Sample of Active Users, Former Users, and Non-Users

Social Sciences ◽

10.3390/socsci10070249 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 249

Author(s):

Luca Flesia ◽

Valentina Fietta ◽

Carlo Foresta ◽

Merylin Monaro

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dating Apps ◽

Regular Consumption ◽

And Gender ◽

The Relationship

To date, the relationship between alcohol use and dating app use has been investigated mostly in conjunction with sexual activities and in homosexual men. For this reason, the aim of this study was to explore the association between dating app use and alcohol consumption among the general population. A cross-sectional study was conducted including app users, non-users, and former users: 1278 respondents completed an online ad hoc questionnaire assessing dating app use, motivations for installing dating apps, alcohol use, and demographics. Multiple logistic regression analysis was run to investigate the association between dating app use, demographic features, and alcohol consumption. Whereas educational level, age, and gender significantly contributed to the regular consumption of alcohol, dating app use did not account for a significant amount of variance between regular and not regular drinkers. However, people who installed and used dating apps with the motivation of searching for sexual partners were more likely to be regular drinkers. Among the active users, heavy app users were less likely to drink regularly. The study indicates that underlying factors (sexual aspects, motives for using the apps) and the intensity of using the apps may mediate the relationship between dating app use and alcohol use.

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The Truth About Alcohol and Health

European Journal of Medical and Health Sciences ◽

10.24018/ejmed.2019.1.2.35 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

James McIntosh

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Utilization ◽

Health Service Utilization ◽

Drinking Behavior ◽

Health It ◽

Standard Drink ◽

Individual Health ◽

Reported Health

The paper discussed here claimed that the old guidelines for safe alcohol consumption should be replaced by much lower ones of about one standard drink per day. However the paper suffers from some statistical problems which lead to misleading results. In addition, by concentrating on mortality and older members of the population it fails to account for important aspects of the effect of alcohol use on individual health. It is shown when the effects of alcohol use on self-reported health and health service utilization are considered what has been traditionally been proposed as safe drinking behavior should continue to be used.

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Trends in alcohol consumption in relation to cause-specific and all-cause mortality in the United States: a report from the NHANES linked to the US mortality registry

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1093/ajcn/nqaa008 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 111 (3) ◽

pp. 580-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Cristian Ricci ◽

Aletta Elizabeth Schutte ◽

Rudolph Schutte ◽

Cornelius Matheus Smuts ◽

Marlien Pieters

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

The United States ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Standard Drink ◽

Present Sample ◽

Regulatory Policies ◽

The Us ◽

Specific Mortality

ABSTRACT Background Excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States, where alcohol use consistently increased over the last decades. This trend is currently maintained, despite regulatory policies aimed to counteract it. While the increased health risks resulting from alcohol use are evident, some open questions regarding alcohol use and its consequences in the US population remain. Objectives The current work aims to evaluate the relation between alcohol consumption trends over a period of 15 y with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. In addition, we evaluate the adequacy of the current alcohol recommended limits according to the 2015–2020 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDGA). Methods This was a prospective population-based study defined by the NHANES conducted over the period 1999–2014 linked to US mortality registry in 2015. Results The sample, composed of 34,672 participants, was observed for a median period of 7.8 y, totaling 282,855 person-years. In the present sample, 4,303 deaths were observed. Alcohol use increased during the period 1999–2014. Alcohol use above the current US recommendations was associated with increased all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk, ranging from 39% to 126%. A proportion of these deaths, ranging from 19% to 26%, could be theoretically prevented if US citizens followed current guidelines, and 13% of all-cause deaths in men could be avoided if the current US guidelines for women (1 standard drink/d) were applied to them. Conclusions The present study provides evidence in support of limiting alcohol intake in adherence to the USDGA recommendations.

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Estimation of cancers caused by light to moderate alcohol consumption in the European Union

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa236 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Pol Rovira ◽

Jürgen Rehm

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Public Information ◽

World Health ◽

Special Focus ◽

The European Union ◽

Standard Drink ◽

Moderate Drinking ◽

The Eu

Abstract Background Research has identified alcohol to be an important risk factor for several types of cancers. This study estimates the number of incident cancers attributable to alcohol consumption in the European Union (EU) in 2017, with a special focus on those caused by light to moderate drinking levels. Methods The attributable-fraction methodology is used to estimate the number of new cancer cases in the year 2017 in the EU caused by alcohol use, and further examines those due to light to moderate drinking levels, defined here as alcohol consumption of <20 g of pure alcohol per day. Results Light to moderate drinking levels of alcohol caused almost 23 000 new cancer cases in the EU in 2017, and accounted for 13.3% of all alcohol-attributable cancers, and 2.3% of all cases of the seven alcohol-related cancer types. Almost half of these (∼11 000 cases) were female breast cancers. Also, more than a third of the cancer cases due to light to moderate drinking resulted from a light drinking level of <1 standard drink per day (total: 37%; women: 40%; men: 32%). Conclusions Alcohol use, including light to moderate drinking, continues to cause considerable cancer burden, and efforts should be made to reduce this burden. In addition to the alcohol control policies suggested by the World Health Organization, public information campaigns and the placement of warning labels on alcohol containers advising of the cancer risk associated with alcohol use should be initiated to increase knowledge about the alcohol-cancer link.

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Acculturation and Alcohol Use Outcomes: Incremental Roles of Bicultural Orientations among Asian American Undergraduate and Graduate Students

10.31234/osf.io/sg24e ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Savannah Pham ◽

P. Priscilla Lui

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Asian American ◽

Social Consequences ◽

Stress Theory ◽

Student Drinking ◽

Cultural Orientations ◽

And Gender

Objectives: There has been a steep increase in alcohol involvement and alcohol use disorder among Asian Americans in recent decades. Cultural orientations have been shown to be robust correlates of alcohol use. Yet, the literature is limited in illuminating within-group differences in the complex relations among acculturation, enculturation, bicultural orientations, and alcohol use. Most alcohol research has focused on undergraduate students; little is known about the roles of cultural orientations in graduate student drinking outcomes. Methods: Asian American undergraduate (N = 357, 60.1% women, Mage = 20.32) and graduate students (N = 230, 30.4% women, Mage = 24.76) completed survey questionnaires assessing their levels of acculturation and enculturation, and alcohol consumption and drinking-related consequences. Results: Accounting for acculturation, enculturation was not associated with alcohol use abltoutcomes. Acculturation was positively associated with alcohol consumption among undergraduates, and was negatively associated with various alcohol use outcomes among graduate students. Bicultural orientations indicated by acculturation x enculturation predicted alcohol use above and beyond acculturation and enculturation alone, and gender moderated these relations. Among undergraduates, women who scored lower on acculturation and enculturation reported more personal drinking-related consequences. Among graduate students, men who scored lower on enculturation reported more social drinking-related consequences, whereas women who scored higher on acculturation and enculturation reported lower levels of social consequences. Conclusion: These results can be interpreted in the contexts of social norms and stress theory, and highlight the possible protective roles of ethnic society immersion in alcohol misuse.

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Alcohol Consumption Literacy, Alcohol Confrontation Efficacy, and the Educational and Training Needs of Coaches to Manage Student-Athlete Alcohol Misuse

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology ◽

10.1123/jcsp.2021-0001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Graig M. Chow ◽

Matthew D. Bird ◽

Stinne Soendergaard ◽

Todd A. Gilson

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽

Head Coaches ◽

Alcohol Prevention ◽

Student Athlete ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Unsafe Behaviors ◽

Efficacy Measures ◽

And Gender

The rate of alcohol consumption among student-athletes places them at risk for engaging in unsafe behaviors. Although coaches play a key role in regulating alcohol use among athletes, many lack the knowledge and self-confidence to be effective. This study aimed to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption literacy and alcohol confrontation efficacy among National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and attempted to identify types of training and education wanted to better manage student-athlete alcohol use. A total of 518 National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches completed alcohol consumption literacy and alcohol confrontation efficacy measures and two open-ended questions about what kind of alcohol training, information, and skills were needed. When accounting for previous education/training and gender of team coached, alcohol consumption literacy predicted all confrontation efficacy subscales. Content analysis showed coaches wanted training related to alcohol literacy, effective communication, and prevention planning. Findings have implications for designing alcohol prevention and intervention programs aimed at National Collegiate Athletic Association coaches.

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#sendwine: An Analysis of Motherhood, Alcohol Use and #winemom Culture on Instagram

Substance Abuse Research and Treatment ◽

10.1177/11782218211015195 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 117822182110151

Author(s):

Kelly D Harding ◽

Lisa Whittingham ◽

Kerry R McGannon

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Popular Culture ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Gender Equity ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Critical Analysis ◽

Gendered Spaces ◽

Theoretical Sampling ◽

And Gender

Popular culture has recently seen the emergence of the so-called comical wine mom persona, particularly on social media sites such as Instagram. Given the increasing use of alcohol amongst women and the emergence of alcohol as a tool for women and mothers to assert agency and gender equity, a critical analysis of wine mom culture warrants attention. Forty Instagram posts associated with the #winemom hashtag were selected using theoretical sampling and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The central objective was to use a postfeminist lens to critically explore how wine mom culture is part of the consumption, (re)production and (re)configuration of the ideologies of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ motherhood occurring in online gendered spaces. The findings demonstrated the ubiquity of wine mom culture and its contribution to normalized images and meanings of ‘liberated motherhood’ that may have problematic sociocultural and health implications related to women’s alcohol consumption.

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Eating Disorder Symptoms and Alcohol Use among Adolescents in Substance Abuse Treatment

Substance Abuse Research and Treatment ◽

10.4137/sart.s3354 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. SART.S3354 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Janelle E. Arias ◽

Josephine M. Hawke ◽

Albert J. Arias ◽

Yifrah Kaminer

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorder ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Treatment Programs ◽

Chi Square ◽

And Gender ◽

Abuse Treatment ◽

Relationship Of

Objective To examine the relationship of eating disorder (ED) symptoms with the severity of alcohol use among adolescents in treatment for alcohol and other substance use disorders (AOSUDs). Method A sample consisted of 177 adolescents who participated in outpatient AOSUD treatment programs in Connecticut. Chi square tests, one-way ANOVAs and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to describe the prevalence and correlates of any eating disorders, and the related symptoms. Multivariate regression was used to test the associations between ED symptoms and alcohol consumption. Results 26.4% of the participants had at least one ED symptom, with the highest number of symptoms occurring in females. The number of ED symptoms was associated with increases in the number of times that they became intoxicated in the year before entering treatment, the number of alcohol-related social problems, and the number of alcohol-related physical symptoms after taking into consideration the effects of age and gender. Conclusions The prevalence of symptoms of EDs is high in adolescents with AOSUDs, with the number of ED symptoms correlating with increased alcohol consumption. Further studies on the course and treatment of adolescents with AOSUDs and symptoms of EDs are warranted.

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DSM-5 alcohol use disorder features among treatment-seeking older adults

SUCHT - Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis / Journal of Addiction Research and Practice ◽

10.1024/0939-5911/a000550 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (4) ◽

pp. 185-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Silke Behrendt ◽

Barbara Braun ◽

Randi Bilberg ◽

Gerhard Bühringer ◽

Michael Bogenschutz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

The Elderly ◽

Treatment Seeking ◽

Controlled Clinical Trial ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Wide Range ◽

And Gender ◽

International Multicenter

Abstract. Background: The number of older adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is expected to rise. Adapted treatments for this group are lacking and information on AUD features in treatment seeking older adults is scarce. The international multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial “ELDERLY-Study” with few exclusion criteria was conducted to investigate two outpatient AUD-treatments for adults aged 60+ with DSM-5 AUD. Aims: To add to 1) basic methodological information on the ELDERLY-Study by providing information on AUD features in ELDERLY-participants taking into account country and gender, and 2) knowledge on AUD features in older adults seeking outpatient treatment. Methods: baseline data from the German and Danish ELDERLY-sites (n=544) were used. AUD diagnoses were obtained with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, alcohol use information with Form 90. Results: Lost control, desired control, mental/physical problem, and craving were the most prevalent (> 70 %) AUD-symptoms. 54.9 % reported severe DSM-5 AUD (moderate: 28.2 %, mild: 16.9 %). Mean daily alcohol use was 6.3 drinks at 12 grams ethanol each. 93.9 % reported binging. More intense alcohol use was associated with greater AUD-severity and male gender. Country effects showed for alcohol use and AUD-severity. Conclusion: European ELDERLY-participants presented typical dependence symptoms, a wide range of severity, and intense alcohol use. This may underline the clinical significance of AUD in treatment-seeking seniors.

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