title: Changes in alcohol use in relation to sociodemographic factors in early midlife.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe changes in alcohol use in relation to employment, education and relationship statuses in a general population sample in early midlife using prospective birth cohort data.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (N=5621) alcohol use was studied in participants at two time points: ages 31 and 46. The total mean consumption was calculated and participants were classified into steady drinkers, increasers and reducers based on the change in consumption between the ages of 31 and 46. Multinomial regression analysis was conducted with changes in employment and relationship statuses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Daily alcohol consumption rose by 30% for men and 40% for women. Persons who were unemployed, single or had a low level of education consumed most. Of the alcohol users, 70% were classified as steady drinkers, 10% as reducers and 20% as increasers. For men, leaving a relationship (odds ratio, OR 1.5; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.0-2.1) predicted increased alcohol use. The predictors of reducing consumption were entering a relationship for men (OR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2-2.9) and women (OR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.1), and leaving a relationship (OR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.6-4.3) for women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol consumption among Finns of northern origin does not seem to decline with age. Alcohol usage is fairly stable in the majority of middle-aged people. A substantial proportion of alcohol users engage in either binge or heavy drinking. Gender differences in predictors exist-- changes in relationship status predict a reduction in alcohol usage in women, whereas in men, divorce predicts an increase in usage.
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland daniel.vladimirov@student.oulu.fi.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vladimirov
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Finland Department of Psychiatry, Lapland Hospital District, Finland.
authors.forename: Solja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niemelä
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland Unit of Primary Care, Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Auvinen
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Timonen
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland Unit of Primary Care, Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: Sirkka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ala-Mursula
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miettunen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution
keywords: Alcohol; binge drinking; birth cohort; heavy drinking; longitudinal; sociodemographic status