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Problematic Alcohol Use and Health and Wellbeing across the Lifecourse

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 24588

Special Issue Editors

School of Health Sciences, University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London SE10 9LS, UK
Interests: problematic substance use; alcohol; mental health; health and wellbeing; personality disorders; age; young people ethnicity; special populations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Health Policy, Co-Director Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4BT, UK
Interests: EU alcohol and drug policy; the role of evidence in policy; social/cultural aspects of substance use/ problem use; young people; substance use and the criminal justice system; public health approaches to alcohol use and other lifestyle issues

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will consider problematic (alcohol) use with an emphasis on alcohol consumption and mental health through the course of life. Currently, there are a number of proposed papers. These include a systematic review of the link between perinatal mental health and personality disorders, a review of international literature concerning home drinking in adult populations, and two papers relating to older drinkers. One of these papers is a systematic review concerning problematic substance use and older people, and the other looks at the context of drinking among older people. This includes consuming alcohol at home, with meals, and in pubs, bars and restaurants. We aim to include papers concerning the link between problematic substance (alcohol) use and mental health with regard to gender differences, different ethnic groupings, young people/adolescents, and other special populations.

Dr. John H. Foster
Prof. Betsy Thom
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • problematic substance use
  • alcohol
  • mental health
  • health and wellbeing
  • personality disorders
  • age
  • young people
  • ethnicity
  • special populations

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 756 KiB  
Article
Effects of the COVID-19 Mitigation Measures on Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking in College Students: A Longitudinal Survey
by Margarida Vasconcelos, Alberto Crego, Rui Rodrigues, Natália Almeida-Antunes and Eduardo López-Caneda
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9822; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189822 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3845
Abstract
To “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 contagion, several countries ordered lockdowns amid the pandemic along with indications on social distancing. These social isolation measures could potentially bring alterations to healthy behavior, including to alcohol consumption. However, there is hardly any scientific evidence of [...] Read more.
To “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 contagion, several countries ordered lockdowns amid the pandemic along with indications on social distancing. These social isolation measures could potentially bring alterations to healthy behavior, including to alcohol consumption. However, there is hardly any scientific evidence of the impact of such measures on alcohol consumption and binge drinking (BD) among young adults, and how they relate to alcohol craving, stress, anxiety, and depression levels. We addressed these questions by conducting a longitudinal study with 146 Portuguese college students—regular binge drinkers (regular BDs), infrequent binge drinkers (infrequent BDs) and non-binge drinkers (non-BDs)—in three moments: before the pandemic (Pre-Lockdown), during lockdown (Lockdown) and 6 months after (Post-Lockdown). Results revealed that regular BDs decreased alcohol use during Lockdown, a change in behavior that was even greater during Post-Lockdown, when regular BDs displayed similar levels of consumption to infrequent/non-BDs. Additionally, alcohol craving and living with friends were predictive of alcohol use during Lockdown, whereas stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms did not contribute to explain changes in drinking behavior. Collectively, the results suggest that BD in young Portuguese college students can be stopped when the contexts in which alcohol intake usually takes place are suppressed, which may have important implications for future prevention and intervention strategies. Full article
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14 pages, 794 KiB  
Article
Association of Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption with Depression Severity in the Oldest Old. Results from the Age Different Old Age Cohort Platform
by Janine Quittschalle, Alexander Pabst, Margrit Löbner, Melanie Luppa, Kathrin Heser, Michael Wagner, Hendrik van den Bussche, André Hajek, Hans-Helmut König, Birgitt Wiese, Matthias C. Angermeyer, Wolfgang Maier, Martin Scherer and Steffi G. Riedel-Heller
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157959 - 28 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1882
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the association of alcohol and tobacco use with severity of depression in older age. Analyses were performed on a pooled data set (n = 3724) from two German old-age cohort studies (LEILA 75+, 6 follow-ups and AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe, 9 [...] Read more.
This study aimed to examine the association of alcohol and tobacco use with severity of depression in older age. Analyses were performed on a pooled data set (n = 3724) from two German old-age cohort studies (LEILA 75+, 6 follow-ups and AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe, 9 follow-ups). Depressive symptoms were assessed via two screening scales for depression (CES-D and GDS-15) which were harmonized for pooled analysis. A mixed-effects linear regression model for the total sample and additional stratified models for men and women were used. Smoking at baseline was significantly associated with a higher level of depression severity (β = 0.142, 95% CI: 0.051–0.233, p = 0.002), whereas drinking was significantly associated with a decreased level of depression (β = −0.069, 95% CI: −0.119–−0.021, p = 0.005). Concurrent substance use at baseline increased longitudinal depression severity (β = 0.193, 95% CI: 0.011–0.375, p = 0.037). Analyses stratified by gender showed a significant inverse association between drinking and depressive symptoms in men (β = −0.138, 95% CI: −0.231–−0.045, p = 0.004), but not in women (β = −0.060, 95% CI: −0.120–0.001, p = 0.052). Given the burden of major depression, it is important that health care providers, especially primary care physicians, assess and monitor lifestyle factors, even at older ages. Full article
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11 pages, 709 KiB  
Article
Gender Convergence in Alcohol Consumption Patterns: Findings from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2016
by Minkyung Kang, Ari Min and Haeyoung Min
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249317 - 13 Dec 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1848
Abstract
Gender differences in alcohol use have narrowed over the decades. This study aimed to explore changes in alcohol consumption patterns between 2007 and 2016 to identify gender convergence in alcohol use in Korea. Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [...] Read more.
Gender differences in alcohol use have narrowed over the decades. This study aimed to explore changes in alcohol consumption patterns between 2007 and 2016 to identify gender convergence in alcohol use in Korea. Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. For all respondents (41,662 girls/women and 32,041 boys/men) aged ≥12 years, lifetime drinking, current drinking, age of drinking onset, heavy alcohol use, and binge drinking were analyzed. Gender differences in heavy alcohol use and binge drinking decreased from 2007 to 2016 (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The prevalence of heavy alcohol use and binge drinking decreased in boys/men (67.5% to 63.9%, p = 0.001; 63.4% to 60.9%, p = 0.001, respectively), but not in girls/women (50.2% to 50.4%, p = 0.279; 30.6% to 32.0%, p = 0.994, respectively). The proportion of lifetime abstainers decreased among both girls/women (24.3% to 19.1%, p < 0.001) and boys/men (12.1% to 9.7%, p = 0.01). In girls/women, the mean age of drinking onset decreased (from 24.1 to 23.6 years, p = 0.017); however, in boys/men, significant changes were not observed (from 18.9 to 18.7 years, p = 0.307). Healthcare providers should be aware of the growing health risks resulting from increased unhealthy alcohol use in women and develop gender-specific preventive interventions. Full article
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9 pages, 351 KiB  
Article
Prevalence and Correlates of Heavy Episodic Alcohol Consumption among Adults in Ecuador: Results of the First National STEPS Survey in 2018
by Supa Pengpid and Karl Peltzer
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 9017; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17239017 - 03 Dec 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1519
Abstract
Thise study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of heavy episodic drinking (HED) among adults in Ecuador. In the national, cross-sectional 2018 Ecuador STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) survey, 4638 persons (median age = 39 years, range 18–69 years) responded to a [...] Read more.
Thise study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of heavy episodic drinking (HED) among adults in Ecuador. In the national, cross-sectional 2018 Ecuador STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) survey, 4638 persons (median age = 39 years, range 18–69 years) responded to a questionnaire and physical measures. Logistic regression was used to assess the determinants of HED. Results indicate that 24.1% had past-month HED, 36.7% among men, and 12.0% of women; among past-12-month drinkers, 40.6% had past-month HED. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, male sex (adjusted odds ratio = AOR: 3.03, 95% confidence interval = CI: 2.44–3.77), past smoking (AOR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12–1.81), and current smoking (AOR: 2.94, 95% CI: 2.25–3.86) were positively associated with HED, and being aged 50–69 years (AOR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.39–0.68) was negatively associated with HED. In sex-stratified analyses among men, being African Ecuadorean or Mulato (AOR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.07–2.84) and high physical activity (AOR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.02–2.01) were positively associated with HED, and among women, being Montubia (AOR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.16–0.90) was negatively associated with HED and obesity (AOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.38) was positively associated with HED. Almost one in four participants engaged in HED, and several sociodemographic and health indicators were identified associated with HED. Full article
25 pages, 1760 KiB  
Article
Relationships between Perceived Stress, Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Socio-Economic Dimension
by Beata Gavurova, Viera Ivankova and Martin Rigelsky
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 8853; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238853 - 28 Nov 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 8179
Abstract
The objective of the study was to examine the effects of perceived stress on depression and subsequently to examine the effects of depression on alcohol use disorders. The data were obtained by an electronic questionnaire survey during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic [...] Read more.
The objective of the study was to examine the effects of perceived stress on depression and subsequently to examine the effects of depression on alcohol use disorders. The data were obtained by an electronic questionnaire survey during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (n = 1523 Slovak university students). Descriptive, regression, and correlation analysis were used in the analytical processing, while the analyses included students’ scores in three diagnostic tools (Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire for depression (PHQ 9), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)), as well as gender and income characteristics. The PSS identified an increased level of perceived stress in female students, while in contrast, the AUDIT showed an increased level of alcohol use disorders in male students. Differences in mental and behavioural disorders between the gender and income categories were significant in most of the analysed cases. In terms of gender-income characteristics, it was possible to confirm a significant positive effect of the PSS score on the PHQ 9 score, as well as a significant positive effect of the PHQ 9 score on the AUDIT score. As a result, efforts to reduce stress will be reflected in a reduction of depressive disorders as well as a reduction of excessive alcohol consumption among students. Full article
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Review

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26 pages, 738 KiB  
Review
Community Based Interventions for Problematic Substance Use in Later Life: A Systematic Review of Evaluated Studies and Their Outcomes
by Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Tricia McQuarrie, Carmel Clancy, Betsy Thom and Briony Jain
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(21), 7994; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217994 - 30 Oct 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3277
Abstract
Problematic substance use (PSU) in later life is a growing global problem of significant concern in tandem with a rapidly ageing global population. Prevention and interventions specifically designed for older people are not common, and those designed for mixed-age groups may fail to [...] Read more.
Problematic substance use (PSU) in later life is a growing global problem of significant concern in tandem with a rapidly ageing global population. Prevention and interventions specifically designed for older people are not common, and those designed for mixed-age groups may fail to address the unique and sometimes complex needs of ageing communities. We report findings from a systematic review of the empirical evidence from studies which formally evaluated interventions used with older people and reported their outcomes. Nineteen studies were included, of which thirteen focused solely on alcohol-related problems. Eight interventions utilised different types of screening, brief advice and education. The remaining drew on behavioural, narrative and integrated or multi-disciplinary approaches, which aimed to meet older people’s needs holistically. Quality assessment of study design helped to review evaluation practice. Findings point to recommendations for sustainable and well-designed intervention strategies for PSU in later life, which purposefully align with other areas of health and well-being and are delivered in locations where older people normally seek, or receive, help. There is further scope for engagement with older people’s own perspectives on their needs and help-seeking behaviours. Economic evaluation of the outcome of interventions would also be useful to establish the value of investing in targeted services to this underserved population. Full article
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19 pages, 960 KiB  
Review
The Relationship between Maternal Personality Disorder and Early Birth Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Claire A. Marshall, Julie Jomeen, Chao Huang and Colin R. Martin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(16), 5778; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165778 - 10 Aug 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3148
Abstract
(1) Background: Women with personality disorder are at risk of social and emotional problems which impact deleteriously on everyday functioning. Moreover, a personality disorder diagnosis has been established to have an adverse impact upon pregnancy outcomes and child health. Understanding this impact is [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Women with personality disorder are at risk of social and emotional problems which impact deleteriously on everyday functioning. Moreover, a personality disorder diagnosis has been established to have an adverse impact upon pregnancy outcomes and child health. Understanding this impact is critical to improving both maternal and child outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the contemporary evidence regarding these relationships. (2) Methods: Prospero and Cochrane were searched for any systematic reviews already completed on this topic. Academic Search Premier, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO via the EBSCO host, and the Web of Science Core Collection were searched to include research articles published between 1980 and 2019. A total of 158 records were identified; 105 records were screened by reviewing the abstract; 99 records were excluded; 6 full text articles were assessed for eligibility; 5 records were included in the review. (3) Results: All the included studies reported on preterm birth. The meta-analysis indicates significant risk of preterm birth in women with personality disorder (overall odds ratio (OR) 2.62; CI 2.24–3.06; p < 0.01). Three studies reported on low birth weight, with the meta-analysis indicating a raised risk of low birth weight of the babies born to women with personality disorder (overall OR 2.00 CI 1.12–3.57 (p = 0.02)). Three studies reported on appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration (APGAR) score, with the meta-analysis of OR’s indicating a risk of low APGAR score in women with personality disorder (overall OR 2.31; CI 1.17–4.55; p = 0.02). (4) Conclusions: The infants of women with personality disorder are at elevated risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and low APGAR score. Full article
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