Subjective measures of binge drinking, suboptimal subjective health and alcohol-specific hospitalizations among working-aged adults: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this prospective study was to determine how subjective measures of binge drinking predict sub-optimal subjective health. In order to contribute to the understanding of potential causal mechanisms, we also aimed to determine the factors through which subjective health predicts alcohol-specific hospitalizations. Methods: A total of 16,111 alcohol-drinking men and women, aged 20-54 years, participated in the Health and Social Support baseline postal survey in 1998, and also responded to the repeated measurement 5 years later in 2003 (T2). Suboptimal subjective health was defined as self-reported overall health status being fair, rather poor or poor. Subjective measures of binge drinking were frequency of subjective intoxications/drunkenness, frequency of hangovers and frequency of alcohol-induced pass-outs. Results: Frequency of intoxications, hangovers and alcohol-induced pass-outs, all predicted suboptimal subjective health regardless of several potential confounders, including beverage-specific total intake. Those reporting suboptimal subjective health at baseline had a 5-fold odds ratio (5.08, 95% confidence interval: 3.43, 6.48) for alcohol-related hospitalizations, compared with those rating their health above fair, when gender and age were controlled. Binge drinking, together with concurrent symptoms of depression, explained over 50% of this relationship, and when additionally taking into account smoking, over two-thirds of this relation was explained. Conclusion: Mental health is an important mediating factor between binge drinking, suboptimal subjective health and alcohol-specific hospitalizations, and symptoms of depression should therefore be taken into account in prevention of alcohol-related adverse health outcomes. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Medical Council on Alcohol. All rights reserved.