Adult low-risk drinkers and abstainers are not the same.
Abstinence
Adults
Cross-sectional data
Low-risk drinking
Socio-demographics
Journal
BMC public health
ISSN: 1471-2458
Titre abrégé: BMC Public Health
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100968562
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 Jan 2020
10 Jan 2020
Historique:
received:
19
09
2019
accepted:
31
12
2019
entrez:
12
1
2020
pubmed:
12
1
2020
medline:
2
4
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Alcohol consumption, even at low-levels, can not be guaranteed as safe or risk free. Specifically, the 2009 Australian National Health and Medical Research Council drinking guidelines recommend that adults should not drink more than two standard drinks on any day on average, and no more than four drinks on a single occasion. Nearly 40% of Australians aged 12 years and older drink alcohol but don't exceed these recommended limits, yet adult low-risk drinkers have been largely overlooked in Australian alcohol survey research, where they are usually grouped with abstainers. This paper examines the socio-demographic profile of low-risk drinking adults (18+ years old), compared to those who abstain. Data from the 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey were used. In the past 12 months, 4796 Australians had not consumed alcohol and 8734 had consumed alcohol at low-risk levels, accounting for both average volume and episodic drinking (hereafter low-risk). Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that low-risk drinkers were more likely to be older, married, Australian-born, and reside in a less disadvantaged neighbourhood compared with abstainers. There was no significant difference by sex between low-risk drinkers and abstainers. The socio-demographic profile of low-risk drinkers differed from that of abstainers. Combining low-risk drinkers and abstainers into a single group, which is often the practice in survey research, may mask important differences. The study may support improved targeting of health promotion initiatives that encourage low-risk drinkers not to increase consumption or, in view of increasing evidence that low-risk drinking is not risk free, to move towards abstinence.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Alcohol consumption, even at low-levels, can not be guaranteed as safe or risk free. Specifically, the 2009 Australian National Health and Medical Research Council drinking guidelines recommend that adults should not drink more than two standard drinks on any day on average, and no more than four drinks on a single occasion. Nearly 40% of Australians aged 12 years and older drink alcohol but don't exceed these recommended limits, yet adult low-risk drinkers have been largely overlooked in Australian alcohol survey research, where they are usually grouped with abstainers. This paper examines the socio-demographic profile of low-risk drinking adults (18+ years old), compared to those who abstain.
METHODS
METHODS
Data from the 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey were used. In the past 12 months, 4796 Australians had not consumed alcohol and 8734 had consumed alcohol at low-risk levels, accounting for both average volume and episodic drinking (hereafter low-risk).
RESULTS
RESULTS
Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that low-risk drinkers were more likely to be older, married, Australian-born, and reside in a less disadvantaged neighbourhood compared with abstainers. There was no significant difference by sex between low-risk drinkers and abstainers.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
The socio-demographic profile of low-risk drinkers differed from that of abstainers. Combining low-risk drinkers and abstainers into a single group, which is often the practice in survey research, may mask important differences. The study may support improved targeting of health promotion initiatives that encourage low-risk drinkers not to increase consumption or, in view of increasing evidence that low-risk drinking is not risk free, to move towards abstinence.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31924194
doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8147-5
pii: 10.1186/s12889-020-8147-5
pmc: PMC6954507
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
37Subventions
Organisme : Discovery Early Career Research Award, Australian Research Council
ID : DE180100016
Organisme : Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship
ID : NA
Organisme : Australian Rechabite Foundation Top-up Scholarship
ID : NA
Organisme : Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education
ID : NA
Références
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009 May 1;101(3):169-75
pubmed: 19233572
JAMA. 2011 Nov 2;306(17):1884-90
pubmed: 22045766
Aust N Z J Public Health. 2011 Jun;35(3):270-7
pubmed: 21627728
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2013 Mar;32(2):157-61
pubmed: 22994590
Alcohol Res. 2016;38(1):7-15
pubmed: 27159807
Health Promot J Austr. 2017 Dec;28(3):255-259
pubmed: 28219013
Addiction. 2008 Mar;103(3):424-32
pubmed: 18269363
Int J Drug Policy. 2013 Sep;24(5):488-91
pubmed: 23499367
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2014 Mar;33(2):169-76
pubmed: 24372899
Alcohol Alcohol. 2002 May-Jun;37(3):256-60
pubmed: 12003914
J Stud Alcohol. 1999 May;60(3):368-77
pubmed: 10371265
Nord J Psychiatry. 2008;62(3):186-91
pubmed: 18609026
Aust N Z J Public Health. 2014 Aug;38(4):332-9
pubmed: 24962802
Addiction. 2009 Sep;104(9):1487-500
pubmed: 19686518
Subst Use Misuse. 2001 Mar;36(4):463-75
pubmed: 11346277
J Stud Alcohol. 1990 May;51(3):221-32
pubmed: 2342362
J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2015 Jan;76(1):68-79
pubmed: 25486395
Med J Aust. 2010 Sep 6;193(5):269-72
pubmed: 20819044
Popul Health Metr. 2014 Oct 30;12(1):31
pubmed: 25379026
Am J Health Behav. 2013 Sep;37(5):641-53
pubmed: 23985287
Addiction. 2016 Jul;111(7):1203-13
pubmed: 26948693
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2013 Mar;48(3):493-502
pubmed: 22878831
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2012 Nov;31(7):881-9
pubmed: 22404499
Am J Psychiatry. 2009 Oct;166(10):1162-9
pubmed: 19687131
Subst Abuse. 2018 Aug 07;12:1178221818792414
pubmed: 30093798
BMC Public Health. 2014 Dec 15;14:1278
pubmed: 25512127
J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2015 Jan;76(1):158-64
pubmed: 25486405
Health Econ. 2017 Mar;26(3):275-291
pubmed: 26634338
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;44(10):946-51
pubmed: 20932209
Contemp Nurse. 2017 Dec;53(6):647-657
pubmed: 29279033
J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2014 Jul;75(4):546-56
pubmed: 24988253
Addiction. 2004 Aug;99(8):1024-33
pubmed: 15265099
J Rural Health. 2013 Jun;29(3):311-9
pubmed: 23802933
BMC Public Health. 2012 Jan 10;12:25
pubmed: 22233608