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Selection biases in observational studies affect associations between ‘moderate’ alcohol consumption and mortality
Author(s) -
Naimi Timothy S.,
Stockwell Timothy,
Zhao Jinhui,
Xuan Ziming,
Dangardt Frida,
Saitz Rich,
Liang Wenbin,
Chikritzhs Tanya
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.13451
Subject(s) - observational study , consumption (sociology) , selection bias , affect (linguistics) , alcohol consumption , selection (genetic algorithm) , environmental health , medicine , alcohol , volume (thermodynamics) , effect modification , demography , psychology , biology , pathology , computer science , confidence interval , social science , biochemistry , physics , communication , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , sociology
Selection biases may lead to systematic overestimate of protective effects from ‘moderate’ alcohol consumption. Overall, most sources of selection bias favor low‐volume drinkers in relation to non‐drinkers. Studies that attempt to address these types of bias generally find attenuated or non‐significant relationships between low‐volume alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease, which is the major source of possible protective effects on mortality from low‐volume consumption. Furthermore, observed mortality effects among established low‐volume consumers are of limited relevance to health‐related decisions about whether to initiate consumption or to continue drinking purposefully into old age. Short of randomized trials with mortality end‐points, there are a number of approaches that can minimize selection bias involving low‐volume alcohol consumption.