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Do women grow out of risky drinking? A prospective study of three cohorts of A ustralian women
Author(s) -
Powers Jennifer R.,
Anderson Amy E.,
Byles Julie E.,
Mishra Gita,
Loxton Deborah J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1111/dar.12246
Subject(s) - medicine , demography , environmental health , psychological intervention , longitudinal study , injury prevention , prospective cohort study , suicide prevention , occupational safety and health , poison control , gerontology , psychiatry , surgery , sociology , pathology
and Aims To examine women's drinking behaviour relative to A ustralian guidelines and identify associated factors over the lifespan. Design and Methods Data came from three prospective cohorts of the A ustralian L ongitudinal S tudy on W omen's H ealth aged 18–23 ( n = 14 247), 45–50 ( n = 13 715) and 70–75 years ( n = 12 432) when first surveyed in 1996. The same women were re‐surveyed at roughly 3‐year intervals until 2012. At each survey, four drinking behaviours were based on two guidelines: long‐term drinking (no more than two standard drinks per day) and episodic drinking (no more than four standard drinks on an occasion): (i) no risk (within both guidelines); (ii) low episodic risk (less than once a month); high episodic risk (at least once a month); long‐term risk (more than two drinks per day regardless of episodic drinking). Results No risk drinking increased with age, low episodic risk drinking remained almost constant between ages 18 and 39, and high episodic risk drinking declined rapidly. Few women drank at long‐term risk. Factors associated with risky drinking varied with age; however, being a past or current smoker consistently increased the risk, and risks for smokers increased with age. Risky drinking was less likely to be practised by women providing care and needing help with daily tasks, or by pregnant women and those living with children. Discussion and Conclusions Risky drinking behaviour should be addressed in younger women and in those who smoke. Interventions to reduce risky drinking, possibly in combination with reducing smoking, could be offered through general practice centres. [Powers JR, Anderson AE, Byles JE, Mishra G, Loxton DJ. Do women grow out of risky drinking? A prospective study of three cohorts of Australian women. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015]