Alcohol drinking patterns and health-related quality of life reported in the Spanish adult population

• Published in: Preventive medicine 2013-11, Vol.57 (5), p.703-707
• Main Authors: Valencia-Martín, José Lorenzo, Galán, Iñaki, Guallar-Castillón, Pilar, Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Attitude to Health; Binge drinking; Binge Drinking - complications; Binge Drinking - epidemiology; Binge Drinking - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease - epidemiology; Chronic Disease - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drinking patterns; Female; Health Behavior; Health Status; Health Surveys; Health-related quality of life; Heavy drinking; Humans; Internal Medicine; Life Style; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; SF-12 questionnaire; Spain; Statistics as Topic; Surveys and Questionnaires; Toxicology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.09.007

Abstract Objectives To examine the association between alcohol drinking patterns and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methods Population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008–2010 among 12,715 adult individuals in Spain. HRQL was assessed with the SF-12 questionnaire and alcohol intake with a diet history. The threshold between average moderate drinking and average heavy drinking was ≥ 40 g/day of alcohol in men and ≥ 24 g/day in women. Binge drinking was defined as the intake of ≥ 80 g in men and ≥ 60 g in women at any drinking session during the preceding 30 days. Analyses were performed with linear regression and adjusted for the main confounders. Results Compared to non-drinkers, all types of average drinkers reported better scores on the SF-12 physical component: β = 1.42 (95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.81) in moderate drinkers and β = 1.86 (1.07 to 2.64) in heavy drinkers. In contrast, average alcohol consumption was not associated with the mental component of the SF-12. The number of binge drinking episodes and most types of beverage preference showed no association with physical or mental HRQL. Conclusions Alcohol drinkers, including those with heavy drinking, reported better physical HRQL than non-drinkers.