SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Drinking Behavior”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,387 records · Page 77Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Effects of communities, neighborhoods and stores on retail pricing and promotion of beer.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines how communities, neighborhoods and stores influence retail pricing and promotion of beer. METHOD: In the year 2000, trained field staff conducted observations in 2,024 retail alcohol stores in 160 communities throughout the contiguous United States. Based on a nationally representative sample of schools, we selected communities defined by the school's catchment area, or the vicinity from which the majority of students are drawn. We randomly selected off-sale alcohol retail establishments from a complete list of stores likely to sell tobacco or alcohol in the selected communities. Beer price and promotions are based on observations of Miller and Budweiser beer brands in the stores. Neighborhoods are defined by the store's census block. We used cross-sectional, hierarchical regression models and mixed methods procedures to analyze data. RESULTS: Community, neighborhood and store characteristics were related to beer price; however, only community and store characteristics were predictive of beer promotions. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the pricing and promotion of beer vary systematically by some characteristics of communities, neighborhoods and stores, but not significantly by the number of young people populating a neighborhood. In addition, pricing and promotion of Budweiser and Miller beers, in particular, do not appear to target racial minority populations. Because of the significant effect of store characteristics, public health agencies and advocates might focus prevention efforts on collaborations with liquor control agencies to reduce variations in pricing and promotion of beer, which ultimately encourage risky drinking behaviors. Further studies are needed to examine the effects of pricing and promotion on alcohol-related social problems.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1983

Evaluating alcoholism treatment programs: considerations and caveats.

There are many pitfalls in the design and implementation of treatment evaluations which can be avoided by careful scrutiny of previous efforts. To this end, the author reviews several key methodological and conceptual issues which affect evaluations of treatment outcome. The issue of sampling is discussed with primary attention given to biases resulting from common sampling errors. The measurement of treatment outcome is explored, underscoring the limitations and benefits of employing drinking behavior indices. Suggestions are made to improve follow-up response rates, and a strategy for analyzing follow-up losses is outlined. Finally, a number of frequently overlooked variables which may relate to treatment outcome are reviewed.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed1995

Loss of control and inability to abstain: the measurement of and the relationship between two constructs in male alcoholics.

The constructs "loss of control" and "inability to abstain" have been used extensively in alcohol research. Examination of the literature, however, reveals inconsistencies in the ways researchers have operationalized and measured these constructs and a dearth of empirical investigation of the validity of the constructs. The current study examines a number of methods of operationalizing loss of control and inability to abstain and investigates the relationship of the two constructs with each other. Ninety-seven male alcoholics who participated in an outpatient conjoint alcoholism treatment study provided data on pre-treatment alcohol consumption and self-report measures of lifetime drinking behavior. Nine interview or questionnaire items that best approximated items used in the literature to measure inability to abstain and loss of control were chosen for analysis. Items measuring both constructs were highly intercorrelated and were associated more strongly with quantity rather than frequency of alcohol consumption, suggesting significant overlap between the constructs. None of the items were associated with a particular drinking pattern. The results provide support for a unitary dimension of impaired control, as used in the alcohol dependence syndrome, and suggest that the value of loss of control and inability to abstain as distinct and meaningful constructs should be reconsidered.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Gender composition of occupation and industry and working women's alcohol consumption.

OBJECTIVE: This article examines the impact of the gender compositions of occupation and industry on women workers' consumption of alcoholic beverages. METHOD: A sample of 11,783 currently working women, aged 21 to 65, was obtained from the 1990 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The gender compositions of three-digit occupational and industrial categories were calculated based on a 1% sample of the 1990 census and attached to the NHIS sample. A set of regression analyses tests the relationship between gender composition of occupation or industry and drinking behavior, such as the likelihood of being a drinker and the level of alcohol consumption among the drinkers, and reported levels of stress. RESULTS: When the demographic background variables are controlled for, the percentage of men within each occupational classification is positively correlated with stress levels. Curvilinear relationships were found between percentage of men in both industry and occupation and the likelihood of drinking in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the women working in gender-balanced rather than gender-typed, jobs were more likely to drink due to increased interaction between genders. The results also suggest that male dominance of an occupation may be a source of stress, which may increase alcohol consumption among women workers.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Retained risk-taking behaviors among past alcohol dependent trauma patients.

Alcohol dependence has been associated with behavioral risk factors and risk-taking tendencies. We investigated whether past alcohol dependent trauma center patients (n=42) retain the characteristics of current alcohol dependent patients (n=67) or whether they resemble patients without history of alcohol dependence (n=262). We found that past alcohol dependence patients retain some of the risk-taking tendencies (impulsivity and sensation seeking) and risk-taking behaviors (drinking and driving, riding with a drunk driver, binge drinking, speeding for the thrill) common to current alcohol dependent patients and they remain at a higher injury risk than the non alcohol dependent population.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2003

Sex differences in the central nervous system actions of ethanol.

For many years, researchers have avoided including females in their research because of the poorly understood influences of cycling hormones. However, we are becoming increasingly aware that sex matters, showing that it is important to conduct studies in females as well as males. This review will focus on the central nervous system (CNS) actions of alcohol (ethanol) because we have found significant sex differences in ethanol actions at the molecular as well as the behavioral level. Most recently, in our studies of ethanol dependence and withdrawal, we found that female rats displayed a shorter time for recovery from ethanol withdrawal, assessed by measuring seizure susceptibility. We now report that this finding was confirmed with a second convulsant agent. Moreover, GABAA receptor function was differentially altered in ethanol-withdrawn female compared to male rats. Studies by other investigators have reported additional significant sex differences in ethanol seeking and drinking behaviors and across several measures of ethanol dependence and withdrawal. We are gaining a better understanding of how the actions of ethanol in the CNS overlay sex differences in brain architecture and the hormonal milieu. Therefore, it is not surprising to observe sex-selective effects on cellular and behavioral outcomes from ethanol consumption. While current research is focused on characterizing sex differences in the actions of ethanol, it has not yet reached the point where we can integrate our findings into a unifying concept of how being female differentially regulates CNS responses to ethanol. This is likely a result of the complexity of ethanol actions, involving multiple neurotransmitter systems and responses covering the spectrum from drug seeking behaviors to neuropathological consequences of ethanol misuse. Regardless, the observed sex differences in ethanol withdrawal are noteworthy because they suggest that treatment of alcoholism should be managed differently in women than in men. Finally, it remains important to compare and contrast responses in males and females because recent studies of sex differences in basic physiology have made it clear that being female impacts health and disease.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2001

Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups. VII [correction of VIII]. Predictors of early mortality in the LUMINA cohort. LUMINA Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the features associated with mortality in a multiethnic US cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) within 5 years of study onset. METHODS: Socioeconomic and demographic features (age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, education, occupation, poverty, and health-related behaviors [drinking, smoking, exercising]), clinical and immunologic features (disease duration, disease onset type, disease activity according to the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure [SLAM], disease damage according to the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics [SLICC] Damage Index [SDI], number of American College of Rheumatology criteria at diagnosis, organ system manifestations, fatigue and pain ratings, and medication usage and autoantibodies), immunogenetic features (HLA class II genotypes), and behavioral and psychosocial features (social support, illness-related behaviors, and helplessness), as obtained at enrollment into the study, were compared between survivors and deceased patients. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine significant independent risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: Within 5 years of study onset, 34 of 288 patients have died. Fourteen deaths could be directly attributed to SLE and 11 to infections. In 1 patient the cause of death could not be determined. In the remaining 8 patients the cause of death was neither infectious nor disease-related. There were 10 deaths among Hispanics, 18 among African Americans, and 6 among Caucasians (P < 0.05). Variables associated with mortality in the univariable analyses included poverty, less than full-time employment, difficulty in accessing health care, shorter disease duration, cardiovascular and renal involvement, higher serum creatinine levels and lower hematocrit values, higher SLAM and SDI scores, lower use of antimalarial drugs, and higher use of (some) immunosuppressants. Specific autoantibodies and class II HLA genotypes were not associated with mortality. Poverty and higher baseline SLAM and SDI scores were independently associated with mortality in the multivariable analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Disease activity, disease damage, and poverty appear to be the most important determinants of mortality in this multiethnic US cohort of SLE patients. These results have applicability to the management of patients with SLE, a disease that more severely affects disadvantaged minority population groups.

Black or African American↗

PubMed1997

Alcohol use after liver transplantation in alcoholics: a clinical cohort follow-up study.

The purposes of this study were to determine among a cohort of long-term alcoholic survivors after liver transplantation (1) the incidence of alcohol use, (2) its effect on allograft integrity and extrahepatic health, and (3) the validity of the pretransplant alcohol prognosis screening process. Retrospective clinical cohort study of all alcoholic patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation at a single center from February 1987 until January 1991 with follow-up through December 1994, giving a median duration of follow-up of 63 months (range, 6-89 months). Multidisciplinary liver transplantation program at a tertiary-care academic medical center. Fifty alcoholic, long-term liver transplant recipients. The frequency of alcohol relapse, defined as any alcohol use in the period after transplantation, was determined by two questionnaire studies and by clinical follow-up. Allograft integrity was assessed by coded review of serial percutaneous allograft biopsies. Potential systemic effects of alcohol relapse were assessed by chart review. The alcohol prognosis screening process was evaluated by retrospectively comparing pretransplant estimates of putative indicators of alcoholism prognosis in posttransplant alcohol users and abstainers. Thirty-three recipients (66%) consistently denied any alcohol use throughout the duration of posttransplant follow-up, whereas 17 (34%) were identified as having consumed alcohol at least once since the transplant. There were no significant differences at the time of evaluation between abstainers and alcohol users in age, sex distribution, severity of liver dysfunction, median duration of abstinence, or University of Michigan alcoholism prognosis score. The median interval from transplantation to alcohol relapse was 17 months, with a range of 3 to 45 months. Recurrent alcohol use was associated with significant medical complications sufficient to require admission to the hospital in 6 patients. One patient died of graft dysfunction, noncompliance with immunosuppressant medications, and presumed graft rejection while drinking. Mild or progressive hepatitis, which was the most common abnormality in posttransplant liver biopsy findings, was equally distributed between both alcohol users and abstainers and sometimes occurred in the absence of antibody to hepatitis C virus antibodies. There was a similar frequency of biopsy-proven acute cellular rejection in alcohol users and abstainers. Typical histological features of alcoholic liver injury were present in posttransplant biopsies from 1 alcohol user only. Alcohol use by alcoholics is uncommon in the first 5 years after liver transplantation, and alcohol-associated liver injury is unusual. Mild nonspecific hepatitis is common in both alcohol users and nonusers alike. Among a small subset of alcoholic transplant recipients, drinking behavior after liver transplantation is associated with considerable morbidity, requiring hospital admissions and occasionally leading to graft loss and death.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed1988

Stability of alcohol consumption among youth: a National Longitudinal Survey.

The present study draws upon the National Longitudinal Survey (NLS) of Labor Market Experience in Youth (ages 17-24) to describe alcohol use patterns over a 2-year period during the transition years between adolescence and young adulthood. Specifically, turnover in current (using any amount of alcohol in any frequency during the past month) and heavier (drinking six or more drinks on at least 2-3 occasions during the past month) drinking levels among panel members was examined by charting incidence, remission, chronicity, and abstinence between 1982 and 1983. The prevalence of each consumption level increased between the ages of 17 and 22 but declined thereafter for each sex until the age of 24. Changes in prevalence from 1982 to 1983 were shown to be a function of changes in drinking level status. The analysis of turnover in current and heavier drinking levels indicated that there was continuity in drinking behavior over time. Sex differences observed in these trends were examined and their implications to internal and external age- and sex-appropriate constraints and paradigmatic development were explicated.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Quality of life as an outcome measure in alcoholism treatment research.

OBJECTIVE: The present article reviews the literature to date dealing with quality of life (QoL) as it relates to drinking behavior, alcohol use disorders and treatment outcome. METHOD: Articles using the term "quality of life" to describe a status or outcome construct for individuals diagnosed with or being treated for alcohol use disorders or that used one or more instruments considered to reflect patients' QoL were identified primarily through Psychological Abstracts, MEDLINE and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's ETOH archival database. RESULTS: Thirty-six studies, published between 1993 and 2004, met these criteria. Twelve different QoL measures were used. Frequent heavy drinking or episodic heavy drinking (e.g., five or more drinks per occasion) patterns were associated with reduced QoL. Alcoholics had lower levels of QoL compared with general population norms or with other chronic health conditions. This relationship appears to be moderated by a number of sociodemographic and client characteristics, such as age, education, gender and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Alcohol-dependent individuals experience improvements in QoL across treatment and with both short-term and long-term abstinence. Despite these improvements, many alcoholic individuals' QoL is unlikely to equal or exceed that of normative groups. Also, among hazardous and harmful drinkers, achieving and maintaining a marked reduction in drinking, even without complete abstinence, is associated with significant increases in QoL. CONCLUSIONS: QoL represents an important area to consider in assessing individuals with alcohol use disorders and in evaluating alcoholism treatment outcome.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed2003

Innate differences in protein expression in the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus of inbred alcohol-preferring and -nonpreferring rats.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to separate protein samples solubilized from the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus of alcohol-naïve, adult, male inbred alcohol-preferring (iP) and alcohol-nonpreferring (iNP) rats. Several protein spots were excised from the gel, destained, digested with trypsin, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. In the hippocampus, 1629 protein spots were matched to the reference pattern, and in the nucleus accumbens, 1390 protein spots were matched. Approximately 70 proteins were identified in both regions. In the hippocampus, only 8 of the 1629 matched protein spots differed in abundance between the iP and iNP rats. In the nucleus accumbens, 32 of the 1390 matched protein spots differed in abundance between the iP and iNP rats. In the hippocampus, the abundances of all 8 proteins were higher in the iNP than iP rat. In the nucleus accumbens, the abundances of 31 of 32 proteins were higher in the iNP than iP rat. In the hippocampus, only 2 of the 8 proteins that differed could be identified, whereas in the nucleus accumbens 21 of the 32 proteins that differed were identified. Higher abundances of cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 1 and a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (both of which are involved in cellular signaling pathways) were found in both regions of the iNP than iP rat. In the nucleus accumbens, additional differences in the abundances of proteins involved in (i) metabolism (e.g., calpain, parkin, glucokinase, apolipoprotein E, sorbitol dehydrogenase), (ii) cyto-skeletal and intracellular protein transport (e.g., beta-actin), (iii) molecular chaperoning (e.g., grp 78, hsc70, hsc 60, grp75, prohibitin), (iv) cellular signaling pathways (e.g., protein kinase C-binding protein), (v) synaptic function (e.g., complexin I, gamma-enolase, syndapin IIbb), (vi) reduction of oxidative stress (thioredoxin peroxidase), and (vii) growth and differentiation (hippocampal cholinergic neurostimulating peptide) were found. The results of this study indicate that selective breeding for disparate alcohol drinking behaviors produced innate alterations in the expression of several proteins that could influence neuronal function within the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed1989

Effects of social drinking and familial alcoholism risk on cognitive functioning: null findings.

The effects of both heavy social drinking and high familial alcoholism risk status on the cognitive performance of college men were examined in this study. A two by three factorial design was employed represented by two social drinking groups (heavy/nonheavy) and three familial risk groups (high, middle, and low). The cognitive performance tasks employed--group embedded figures, revised Beta mazes, mirror tracing, and symbol-digit paired associate learning--had all been previously shown to present difficulties to male alcoholics. No evidence was obtained of a relationship between heavy drinking or familial risk and cognitive functioning, nor a meaningful interaction of these two independent variables. Little evidence was revealed for the "hangover hypothesis" as evidenced by a relationship between drinking behavior within the past week and cognitive performance. The findings are discussed in the context of previous findings in these areas and the general difficulties of interpretation posed in nonexperimental research based on subject variables.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979

Relationships of subclinical depression, psychopathy and hysteria to patterns of alcohol consumption and abuse in males and females.

Personality studies have consistently indicated a high prevalence of both psychopathy and depression among chronic alcoholics. This study examined the relationship of subclinical depression, psychopathy and hysteria (MMPI) to reported alcohol consumption and abuse (MAST scores) in a normal population of 18--21 year-olds. Both depression and psychopathy were positively related to frequency of consumption whereas hysteria was not. Separate analyses of the data were conducted by sex. Psychopathy and depression were positively related to consumption among males but not among females. Hysteria was positively related to consumption among females but not among males. Regarding abusive drinking, both depression and psychopathy were related to MAST scores among females whereas only psychopathy was among males. Hysteria was unrelated to MAST scores among both sexes. These results support the hypothesis that different psychological processes are involved in the drinking behavior of males and females. The results also underscore the importance of distinguishing simple consumption from abuse. Within the male and female groups, those personality variables related to consumption were not necessarily related to abuse and vice versa.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Alcohol policies and free to be foolish: an analysis of college students.

A convenience sample of 472 undergraduate students from a large public university in the Midwest was surveyed with regard to their views on consumption of alcohol as a personal privilege and related policies on alcohol use. The sample of predominantly white students was divided between 239 libertarians and 192 supporters of collective responsibility. Compared with their collective peers, the libertarian students were younger, heavier consumers of alcohol, and more likely to be male. The libertarian students were opposed to external sanctions on drinking behavior regardless of source of authority. Intervention programs such as server training implemented by the students themselves were, however, supported by both groups. The potential for achieving wider low risk alcohol use through server training programs is considered in the context of campus and campus town life. Although promotion of such programs has potential for positive change, administrators must recognize the potency of the world view of "free to be foolish" and broader external forces when seeking a comprehensive needs-based approach to program planning.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Feeding and drinking responses to neuropeptide Y injections in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus of aged rats.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a peptide of the pancreatic polypeptide family, exerts a potent stimulatory action on eating when injected into the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) in rats. Several NPY-containing systems are altered with advancing age, and aged rodents develop anorexia and a modified daily cycle pattern of feeding. These findings suggest that a relationship may exist between the aging-related anorexia and the reduced function of NPY-containing systems projecting to the PVN. In the present study eating and drinking behavior in satiated or fasted young (3 months) and aged (24 months) rats have been investigated over 22 h after NPY injection into the PVN. The levels of NPY immunoreactivity (IR) in PVN were also evaluated by means of semiquantitative immunocytochemistry. NPY injections into PVN increased food and water consumption in both young and aged satiated rats 30, 90 and 240 min after injection. However, the feeding and drinking responses elicited by 0.05, 0.10 and 1.0 nmol of NPY were significantly attenuated in the aged rats when compared to young rats. In aged rats, 24 h of food and water deprivation produced significant increase of food consumption measured at 30, 90 min and 22 h, which was equivalent to that induced by 1.0 nmol NPY injection. Administration of 1.0 nmol NPY in PVN did not further increase the 24 h deprivation effect on feeding in both groups of rats, but enhanced drinking in deprived young rats. This effect was not present in aged rats. In addition, aged rats showed a stronger response to 24 h deprivation than to 1.0 nmol NPY administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aging↗

PubMed2001

Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase gene polymorphisms and oropharyngolaryngeal, esophageal and stomach cancers in Japanese alcoholics.

Alcohol dehydrogenase-2 (ADH2) and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) gene polymorphisms play roles in ethanol metabolism, drinking behavior and esophageal carcinogenesis in Japanese; however, the combined influence of ADH2 and ALDH2 genotypes on other aerodigestive tract cancers have not been investigated. ADH2/ALDH2 genotyping was performed on lymphocyte DNA samples from Japanese alcoholic men (526 cancer-free; 159 with solitary or multiple aerodigestive tract cancers, including 33 oropharyngolaryngeal, 112 esophageal, 38 stomach and 22 multiple primary cancers in two or three organs). After adjustment for age, drinking and smoking habits, and ADH2/ALDH2 genotypes, the presence of either ADH2*1/2*1 or ALDH2*1/2*2 significantly increased the risk for oropharyngolaryngeal cancer [odds ratios (ORs), 6.68 with ADH2*1/2*1 and 18.52 with ALDH2*1/2*2] and esophageal cancer (ORs, 2.64 and 13.50, respectively). For patients with both ADH2*1/2*1 and ALDH2*1/2*2, the risks for oropharyngolaryngeal and esophageal cancers were enhanced in a multiplicative fashion (OR = 121.77 and 40.40, respectively). A positive association with ALDH2*1/2*2 alone was observed for stomach cancer patients who also had oropharyngolaryngeal and/or esophageal cancer (OR = 110.58), but it was not observed for those with stomach cancer alone. Furthermore, in the presence of ALDH2*1/2*2, the risks for multiple intra-esophageal cancers (OR = 3.43) and for esophageal cancer with oropharyngolaryngeal and/or stomach cancer (OR = 3.95) were higher than the risks for solitary intra-esophageal cancer and for esophageal cancer alone, but these tendencies were not observed for ADH2*1/2*1 genotype. Alcoholics' population attributable risks due to ADH2/ALDH2 polymorphisms were estimated to be 82.0% for oropharyngolaryngeal cancer and 63.9% for esophageal cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Gender differences in drinking behaviour in the Netherlands: convergence or stability?

Gender differences in drinking behavior are analysed with emphasis on their relationship with changes in roles and positions of men and women in society. The 'convergence hypothesis' is used as a starting point. From its implications, a number of specific hypotheses are derived and tested using data from six surveys of the general population of the Netherlands, held between 1958 and 1993. No convergence of gender differences is found for abstinence and heavy frequent drinking. Convergence of male-female differences in average weekly consumption appeared in the 1980s, but it is no longer significant at 5% level after controlling for age, education and family situation. Further elaboration of the gender by year interaction shows that convergence is related to a decrease in consumption among higher educated men. Contrary to expectation, an increase in consumption has occurred among women over 40 years of age. No relationship appears with female employment and religion. Having a family is related to lower consumption among women, while it has no significant effect on men's consumption. Although some evidence for convergence was found, results are not in agreement with expectations formulated from the perspective of the convergence hypothesis.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

An extract of the Chinese herbal root kudzu reduces alcohol drinking by heavy drinkers in a naturalistic setting.

BACKGROUND: Of the available medications for treating alcohol-related problems, none are universally effective, and all have side effects that may limit their use. Extracts of kudzu containing a variety of isoflavones have been shown to reduce alcohol drinking in rats and hamsters. METHODS: The present study was designed to test the efficacy of a kudzu extract in a clinical population. Male and female "heavy" alcohol drinkers were treated with either placebo or a kudzu extract for 7 days and then given an opportunity to drink their preferred brand of beer while in a naturalistic laboratory setting. Participants served as their own controls, and order of treatment exposure was counterbalanced. Drinking behavior was monitored by a digital scale that was located in the top of an end table. RESULTS: Kudzu treatment resulted in significant reduction in the number of beers consumed that was paralleled by an increase in the number of sips and the time to consume each beer and a decrease in the volume of each sip. These changes occurred in the absence of a significant effect on the urge to drink alcohol. There were no reported side effects of kudzu treatment. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that an extract of this leguminous plant may be a useful adjunct in reducing alcohol intake in a naturalistic setting.

Adult↗