The effect of asset-based wealth inequality on problem drinking among rural Thai elders: a prospective population-based cohort study.
Evidence on the link between income inequality and alcohol-related problems is scarce, inconclusive and dominated by studies from the developed world. The use of income as a proxy measure for wealth is also questionable, particularly in developing countries. The goal of the present study is to explore the contextual influence of asset-based wealth inequality on problem drinking among Thai older adults. A population-based cohort study with a one-year follow-up was nested in a Demographic Surveillance System (DSS) of 100 villages in western Thailand. Data were drawn from a random sample of 1104 older residents, aged 60 or over (one per household) drawn from all 100 villages, of whom 982 (89%) provided problem drinking data at follow-up. The primary outcome measure was a validated Thai version of the Alcohol-Used Disorder Identification Test for problem drinking. Living in areas of high wealth inequality was prospectively associated with a greater risk for problem drinking among older people (adjusted odds ratio 2.30, 95% confidence intervals 1.02-5.22), after adjusting for individual-level and village-level factors. A rise in wealth inequality over the year was also independently associated with an increased risk of problem drinking (adjusted odds ratio 2.89, 95% confidence intervals 1.24-6.65). The associations were not explained by the social capital, status anxiety or psychosocial stress variables. The data suggest that wealth inequality and an increase in inequality across time lead to a greater risk of problem drinking. Efforts should be directed towards reducing gaps and preventing large jumps in inequality in the communities. Further research should investigate the effect of asset-based inequality on various health risk behaviors and its specific mediating pathways.
Department of Psychiatry, Thammasat University, Faculty of Medicine, Paholyothin Road, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; Section of Epidemiology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, DeCrespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. Electronic address: tawanchaij@gmail.com.
Tawanchai
T
Jirapramukpitak
Section of Epidemiology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, DeCrespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. Electronic address: melanie.abas@kcl.ac.uk.
Melanie
M
Abas
Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand. Electronic address: prktc@mahidol.ac.th.
Kanchana
K
Tangchonlatip
Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand. Electronic address: prspu@mahidol.ac.th.
Sureeporn
S
Punpuing
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
Aged; Alcohol-related disorders; Inequality; Longitudinal; Thailand