Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for non-recovery from common mental disorder: results from the longitudinal follow-up of the National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey.
BACKGROUND
Alcohol is commonly considered to be associated with persistence of common mental disorder (CMD; anxiety/depression). However no community-based longitudinal studies have investigated the direction of causality.


METHODS
We examined the association between alcohol consumption and recovery from CMD using data on 706 community-based subjects with CMD who were followed for 18 months. Alcohol consumption at baseline was defined as hazardous drinking [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) 8], binge drinking (defined as six or more units of alcohol on one occasion, approximately two to three pints of commercially sold beer) and dependence.


RESULTS
When compared with a non-binge-drinking group, non-recovery at follow-up was associated with binge drinking on at least a monthly basis at baseline, although the confidence interval (CI) included unity [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.47, 95% CI 0.89-2.45]. There was also weak evidence that alcohol dependence was associated with non-recovery (adjusted OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.67-2.81). There was little evidence to support hazardous drinking as a risk factor for non-recovery (adjusted OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.67-1.88).


CONCLUSIONS
Binge drinking may be a potential risk factor for non-recovery from CMD, although the possibility of no effect cannot be excluded. Larger studies are required to refute or confirm this finding.
Haynes
J C
JC
Avon and Wiltshire Partnership NHS Mental Healthcare Trust, and Academic Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Community Based Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. jon.haynes@bris.ac.uk
Farrell
M
M
Singleton
N
N
Meltzer
H
H
Araya
R
R
Lewis
G
G
Wiles
N J
NJ
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001515:Beer / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology