Moderate alcohol use and depression in young adults: findings from a national longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the association between moderate alcohol use and depressive mood among young adults before and after adjustment for demographic, health, and socioeconomic factors that may act as confounders.


METHODS
We analyzed 2 waves of interview data collected from 13892 young adults who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to compare frequency of depressive symptoms in moderate drinkers with frequency of symptoms in young adults in other alcohol use categories.


RESULTS
With adjustment for health and socioeconomic factors, frequency of depressive symptoms were similar among moderate drinkers, lifetime and long-term abstainers, and heavy/heavier moderate drinkers but remained significantly higher among heavy drinkers.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate alcohol use may have no effect on depression in young adults relative to abstinence from alcohol use.
Paschall
Mallie J
MJ
Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1995 University Ave, Suite 450, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. paschall@pire.org
Freisthler
Bridget
B
Lipton
Robert I
RI
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
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