title: Abstinence, occasional drinking and binge drinking in middle-aged women. The Women's Health in Lund Area (WHILA) Study.
abstract: Although drinking patterns in women have received increased attention, few studies have focused on middle-aged women. Drinking patterns were investigated in a population sample of 513 Swedish women aged 50-59, and analysed in relation to social situation, and mental and physical health. The chi-square test was used to analyse differences in proportions. Variables showing significant differences were entered into a multivariate or multinomial logistic regression model. Abstainers and occasional drinkers had lower levels of education and more often regular medical control compared with weekly drinkers. Furthermore, abstainers more often had disability pension. Among women drinking alcohol, 56.6% affirmed binge drinking within the last year and 39.4% within the last month. Binge drinkers did not differ in terms of social situation, mental or physical health, compared with other drinkers. Drinking to relieve tension was affirmed by 7.2%. These women had more mental symptoms and less contact with friends compared with other drinkers; furthermore, they were more often binge drinkers. Binge drinking was common and health and social consequences of this drinking pattern in middle-aged women need to be further explored. Women drinking to relieve tension may need intervention for both drinking habits and mental health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund-Psychiatry, USIL, Lund UniversityHospital, Kioskgatan 19, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. jenny.rundberg@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rundberg
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lidfeldt
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nerbrand
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Samsioe
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romelsjö
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ojehagen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012931:Social Environment; D012943:Social Security / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013548:Sweden; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data