Binge Drinking, Poor Mental Health, and Adherence to Treatment Among California Adults with Asthma

Abstract

Binge drinking and poor mental health may affect adherence to treatment for individuals with asthma. The purposes were to (a) examine the relationship of self-reported binge drinking and mental health to adherence to daily asthma control medications and (b) identify other demographic and health-related factors associated with asthma control medication adherence. Secondary analyses of 2003 adult California Health Interview Survey data were undertaken, and these analyses identified 3.2 million California adults who had been told by a physician they had asthma. Of these, approximately 1.7 million were symptomatic. Binge drinking significantly predicted medication nonadherence among California adults with symptomatic asthma (OR =. 63, 95% CI =. 45-.89), whereas poor mental health did not. Other predictors of nonadherence (odds ratios < 1, p <. 05) included being overweight, younger age, having some college education, being a current smoker, and having no usual source of medical care. Predictors of adherence (odds ratios > 1, p <. 05) were older age, more frequent asthma symptoms, more ER visits, more missed work days, being African American, and being a non-citizen. Intervention efforts could be directed toward improving medication adherence among adult asthma patients who engage in risky health behaviors such as binge drinking. Also at risk for medication nonadherence and therefore good targets for asthma control medication management interventions are adults who are overweight, younger (18–44 age range), have some college education, and no usual source of medical care.

Keywords:

• asthma
• control medication
• patient adherence
• binge drinking
• mental health