title: Alcohol consumption and health-services utilization in Germany.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 48, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany. sebastian.baumeister@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Sebastian E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baumeister
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carreon
authors.forename: Jennis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freyer
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rumpf
authors.forename: Ulfert
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hapke
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alte
mesh_terms: 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