title: Gender and cultural differences in the association between family roles, social stratification, and alcohol use: a European cross-cultural analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  First, this paper investigates (i) gender differences in associations of social stratification, family roles, and heavy drinking, and (ii) country differences in these associations. Second, it seeks to explain country differences in the associations of social stratification and family roles with alcohol consumption by societal level variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey data of 25 to 49-years-old from eight European countries were used. Logistic regressions were used to analyse gender differences in the association between family roles (marriage, having children), social stratification (education, employment), and heavy drinking (>20 g/day for women; 30 g/day for men). Gender differences were tested by means of interactions between gender and social stratification/family roles. Structural measures of work desirability, social welfare, and gender equity were used to explain differences in associations across countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The associations between social stratification, family roles, and heavy drinking varied across gender and countries. A country's social welfare system was associated with heavy drinking only among women. Women in countries with a strong social welfare system, such as Nordic countries, tended to drink more heavily if employed, having lower formal education, and a non-traditional family role. In countries with weak social welfare systems or work desirability, heavy drinking was associated with high education, while effects of family roles and employment were small.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appeared that the social welfare system and gender equity of a country determines to a large extent how education, employment, and family roles are associated with heavy drinking.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems, Lausanne, Switzerland. skuntsche@sfa-ispa.ch
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuntsche
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gmel
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Knibbe
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuendig
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grittner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003625:Data Collection; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012923:Social Class