Alcohol in the second half of life: do usual quantity and frequency of drinking to intoxication increase with increased drinking frequency?. (12th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brunborg, Geir Scott; Østhus, Ståle
• Is Part Of: Addiction. Volume 110:Number 2(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 308
• Page End: 314
• Publication Date: 2014-11-12
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1111/add.12763
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-2140

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="add12763-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="add12763-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aims</title> <p id="add12763-para-0001">We investigated if increased drinking frequency among adults in the second half of life co‐occurred with increased usual quantity and increased intoxication frequency.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12763-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p id="add12763-para-0002">Two‐wave panel study.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12763-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p id="add12763-para-0003">Norway.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12763-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p id="add12763-para-0004">Norwegian adults (1017 women and 959 men) aged 40–79 years.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12763-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Measurements</title> <p id="add12763-para-0005">Drinking frequency, usual quantity and intoxication frequency was measured by self‐report in 2002/03 and again in 2007/08. Information about gender, age and level of education was obtained from the public register. Health was collected by self‐report.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12763-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Findings</title> <p id="add12763-para-0006">Because of a significant gender × change in drinking frequency interaction effect on change in intoxication frequency (<italic>b</italic> = 0.02, <italic>P</italic> = 0.013), women and men were analysed separately. After adjusting for covariates, women who increase their drinking frequency showed a non‐significant decrease in usual quantity [low initial usual quantity (LIUQ): β = −0.01, <italic>P</italic> = 0.879; high initial usual quantity (HIUQ): β = −0.06, <italic>P</italic> = 0.164] and a non‐significant increase in intoxication frequency (LIUQ: β = 0.04, <italic>P</italic> = 0.569; HIUQ: β = 0.09, <italic>P</italic> = 0.251). Men who increased their drinking frequency showed a small decrease in usual quantity (LIUQ: β = −0.06, <italic>P</italic> = 0.049; HIUQ: β = −0.05, <italic>P</italic> = 0.002) and a small increase in intoxication frequency (LIUQ: β = 0.05, <italic>P</italic> = 0.035; HIUQ: β = 0.13, <italic>P</italic> = 0.004).</p> </sec> <sec id="add12763-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p id="add12763-para-0007">Among Norwegian adults in the second half of life, increased drinking frequency appears to be associated with a small reduction in usual quantity, and a small increase in frequency of drinking to intoxication.</p> </sec> </abstract>