Life Stage, Alcohol Consumption Patterns, Alcohol‐Related Consequences, and Gender¹

With the collaboration of Salme Ahlström, Allaman Allamani, Marie Choquet, Francesco Cipriani, Gerhard Gmel, Beatrice Janin Jacquat, Ronald Knibbe, Ludek Kubicka, Thérèse Lecomte, and Frederik Spak.

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a European collaborative study. A common framework for reanalysis of existing data was devised. Alcohol‐related problems encountered were classified as “internal”; and “external.”; Logistic regression analyses were then conducted to predict lifetime presence of any internal problem, any external problem, and any problem at all. The predictor variables were gender, life stage (corresponding roughly to young, middle and older age), past year's drinking level in four categories of grams of alcohol per month, and past year's “binge”; drinking. All four predictor variables were associated with the presence of alcohol‐related problems, with women and retired people having fewer problems and heavy drinkers and binge drinkers having more. At all levels of alcohol consumption, men were more likely than women to experience at least one adverse consequence. Internal problems were more common than external problems. Country differences are discussed and recommendations are made for further studies.

Key words:

• alcohol
• gender
• life stage
• acute consequences

Notes

With the collaboration of Salme Ahlström, Allaman Allamani, Marie Choquet, Francesco Cipriani, Gerhard Gmel, Beatrice Janin Jacquat, Ronald Knibbe, Ludek Kubicka, Thérèse Lecomte, and Frederik Spak.

Alcohol & Health Research Centre, City Hospital, Greenbank Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5SB, UK.

Alcohol & Health Research Centre, City Hospital, Greenbank Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5SB, UK.

To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Moira Plant

2 4