Alcohol use and alcohol-related problems before and after military combat deployment.
BACKGROUND
High rates of alcohol misuse after deployment have been reported among personnel returning from past conflicts, yet investigations of alcohol misuse after return from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are lacking.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether deployment with combat exposures was associated with new-onset or continued alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems.


METHODS
Data were from Millennium Cohort Study participants who completed both a baseline (July 2001 to June 2003; n=77,047) and follow-up (June 2004 to February 2006; n=55,021) questionnaire (follow-up response rate = 71.4%). After we applied exclusion criteria, our analyses included 48,481 participants (active duty, n = 26,613; Reserve or National Guard, n = 21,868). Of these, 5510 deployed with combat exposures, 5661 deployed without combat exposures, and 37 310 did not deploy.


METHODS
New-onset and continued heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems at follow-up.


RESULTS
Baseline prevalence of heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems among Reserve or National Guard personnel who deployed with combat exposures was 9.0%, 53.6%, and 15.2%, respectively; follow-up prevalence was 12.5%, 53.0%, and 11.9%, respectively; and new-onset rates were 8.8%, 25.6%, and 7.1%, respectively. Among active-duty personnel, new-onset rates were 6.0%, 26.6%, and 4.8%, respectively. Reserve and National Guard personnel who deployed and reported combat exposures were significantly more likely to experience new-onset heavy weekly drinking (odds ratio [OR], 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-1.96), binge drinking (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.24-1.71), and alcohol-related problems (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.33-2.01) compared with nondeployed personnel. The youngest members of the cohort were at highest risk for all alcohol-related outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Reserve and National Guard personnel and younger service members who deploy with reported combat exposures are at increased risk of new-onset heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems.
Jacobson
Isabel G
IG
DoD Center for Deployment Health Research, Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA. Isabel.Jacobson@med.navy.mil
Ryan
Margaret A K
MA
Hooper
Tomoko I
TI
Smith
Tyler C
TC
Amoroso
Paul J
PJ
Boyko
Edward J
EJ
Gackstetter
Gary D
GD
Wells
Timothy S
TS
Bell
Nicole S
NS
D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003130:Combat Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014857:Warfare