Alcohol consumption and health-services utilization in Germany.
OBJECTIVE
This study tests two hypotheses. The first is that a U-shaped or inverse linear association exists between alcohol consumption and health-services utilization. Although this relationship has been examined previously, conclusions have been inconsistent. Additional research is needed to explain why abstainers use more health services than drinkers. Our second hypothesis is that abstainers with a history of heavy drinking seek out more health services than those without heavy drinking histories.


METHODS
Data were from two surveys conducted in Germany (N's=4268 [51% women] and 6857 [52% women]). Alcohol consumption was assessed using a quantity-frequency measure.


RESULTS
Outpatient and inpatient services showed an inverse linear relation with alcohol consumption. Among abstainers, those with a drinking history exhibited a higher use of outpatient visits but were not more likely to have been hospitalized.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the view that alcohol consumption is associated with decreased utilization of health services. Results provide some evidence for the hypothesis that former heavy drinkers have higher health-services utilization than either moderate drinkers or other abstainers.
Baumeister
Sebastian E
SE
Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 48, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany. sebastian.baumeister@uni-greifswald.de
Meyer
Christian
C
Carreon
Daisy
D
Freyer
Jennis
J
Rumpf
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Hapke
Ulfert
U
John
Ulrich
U
Alte
Dietrich
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013695:Temperance