Alcohol and parenthood: An integrative analysis of the effects of transition to parenthood in three Australasian cohorts

Development and Validation of the Maternal Drinking Motives Scale (M-DMS)

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use is a gendered behavior and motherhood is a life stage which may influence drinking motives. However, there are no drinking motive scales uniquely tailored to maternal populations. This work developed a new maternal drinking motives scale (M-DMS) and determined associations between the M-DMS and alcohol-related behavior.

METHODS

An online observational survey (n = 534) and online test-retest survey (n = 164) were conducted with adult, UK mothers. From the observational study, data on drinking motives was extracted to determine M-DMS items and factor loading. This was split into two data sets for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Timeline Follow back data, taken from both surveys, were combined to determine the M-DMS's predictive validity.

RESULTS

Following a parallel analysis and exploratory factor analysis, a two-factor model (positive reinforcement motives, negative reinforcement motives) was deemed the best fit. Probability functional analysis identified items with problematic responses. These were removed before confirmatory factor analysis (on the second dataset) demonstrated a good fit for the two-factor model. All factor loadings were significant and positive (βs > 0.56). Reliability of the two subscales was excellent: negative reinforcement (ωT = 0.95), positive reinforcement (ωT = 0.89). Test-retest reliability was good for both negative (ICC = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.80-0.88) and positive (ICC = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.71-0.82) subscales. Both subscales predicted AUDIT and quantity of alcohol consumption (ps < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The first tailored Maternal Drinking Motives Scale (M-DMS) provides a more valid research tool for assessing psychological mechanisms of alcohol use in mothers.

Sociodemographic and Health Factors of the Alcohol Treatment-seeking Population in New South Wales, Australia

OBJECTIVES

Although factors associated with alcohol use have been researched at a population level, descriptions of the alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment-seeking population in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, are limited. This study addresses this gap by analyzing sociodemographic and health characteristics in the NSW AOD treatment-seeking population.

METHODS

Self-reported Australian Treatment Outcomes Profile data on substance use, health ratings, and sociodemographic factors were acquired from public AOD services (offering services from counseling to ambulatory/inpatient withdrawal management) in 6 administrative health districts from 2016 to 2019 (n = 14,287). Gaussian and multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine associations between these factors and alcohol consumption quantity.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed for patients seeking treatment for alcohol consumption specifically (n = 5929; median age, 44 years; 65% male). Valid alcohol consumption data were available for 5460 patients, among whom the mean volume of alcohol consumed was 311 standard drinks (3110 grams of ethanol) over the past 28 days and 15 standard drinks (150 grams of ethanol) per occasion. Higher volumes were consumed by males and those with recent experiences of violence and/or injecting drug use. Caring for children younger than 5 years and having above-median health ratings were associated with lower alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to the characterization of the NSW public AOD treatment population and identifies associations between alcohol consumption, sociodemographic factors, and health ratings among people seeking treatment for alcohol consumption. Findings point towards multilevel assessment and comprehensive interventions for people engaging in treatment for alcohol use. Future research should address barriers to treatment.

The role of alcohol in the lives of midlife women living on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia

Background

In Australia, midlife women are experiencing increasing levels of risky drinking behaviours and alcohol-related harms. This is despite the general population trend of decreasing alcohol consumption overall. In light of these diverging trends, this research explores the role of alcohol in the lives of midlife women from their own perspective.

Methods

Six semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 47 women aged 35-59 years of age. Residents from the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia were recruited, as this group of women appear to be experiencing heightened alcohol-related harms, with an alcohol-related hospitalisation rate 40 % higher than the NSW state average in 2017-18.

Results

Midlife women described the practical utility of drinking as a habit to relieve stress and escape trauma, as well as an effective method for creating and strengthening social connections within the parenthood life stage. Participants also described the act of moderation as a potent trigger for peer pressure and discussed the individual's tendency to prioritise the short term relieving effects of drinking, despite awareness of the long term health risks.

Conclusion

Findings around the pro-social role of alcohol as a woman and a parent should be explicitly considered when designing 'swap it' population health messages. Furthermore, the marked social penalty of moderation and tendency to discount long term health risks should also be factored into health promotion messages which seek to utilise moderation as a strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm for midlife women.

Women's alcohol consumption in the early parenting period and influences of socio-demographic and domestic circumstances: A scoping review and narrative synthesis

ISSUES

Numerous studies have explored alcohol consumption in pregnancy, but less is known about women's drinking in the early parenting period (EPP, 0-5 years after childbirth). We synthesise research related to three questions: (i) How are women's drinking patterns and trajectories associated with socio-demographic and domestic circumstances?; (ii) What theoretical approaches are used to explain changes in consumption?; (iii) What meanings have been given to mothers' drinking?

APPROACH

Three databases (Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-PsycINFO and CINAHL) were systematically searched. Citation tracking was conducted in Web of Science Citation Index and Google Scholar. Eligible papers explored mothers' alcohol consumption during the EPP, focusing on general population rather than clinical samples. Studies were critically appraised and their characteristics, methods and key findings extracted. Thematic narrative synthesis of findings was conducted.

KEY FINDINGS

Fourteen quantitative and six qualitative studies were identified. The (sub)samples ranged from n = 77,137 to n = 21 women. Mothers' consumption levels were associated with older age, being White and employed, not being in a partnered relationship, higher education and income. Three theoretical approaches were employed to explain these consumption differences: social role, role deprivation, social practice theories. By drinking alcohol, mothers expressed numerous aspects of their identity (e.g., autonomous women and responsible mothers).

IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Alcohol-related interventions and policies should consider demographic and cultural transformations of motherhood (e.g., delayed motherhood, changes in family structures). Mothers' drinking should be contextualised carefully in relation to socio-economic circumstances and gender inequalities in unpaid labour. The focus on peer-reviewed academic papers in English language may limit the evidence.

Number of children and disability pension due to mental and musculoskeletal disorders: A longitudinal register-based study in Norway

Earlier research has documented a relationship between parity and all-cause mortality, as well as parity and cause-specific mortality (e.g. cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality). Less is known about the relationship between parity and two very common (but less deadly) types of disorder: mental and musculoskeletal. We examine the association between parity and risk of disability pensioning from all causes and due to mental or musculoskeletal disorders, using Norwegian register data. In addition to controlling for adult socio-demographic characteristics, we control for unobserved confounding from family background by estimating sibling fixed-effects models. We find a higher risk of disability pensioning among the childless and those with one child than for parents with two children, both for all causes combined and for mental disorders. Childless men and fathers with one child also experience excess risk of being pensioned due to musculoskeletal disorders. For mental disorders, we find a positive association with high parity, particularly for men.

Continuities in maternal substance use from early adolescence to parenthood: findings from the intergenerational cohort consortium

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the extent to which women's preconception binge drinking, tobacco use and cannabis use, reported prospectively in adolescence and young adulthood, predicted use of these substances during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum.

METHODS

Data were pooled from two intergenerational cohort studies: the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study (395 mothers, 691 pregnancies) and the Victorian Intergenerational Health Cohort Study (398 mothers, 609 pregnancies). Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use were assessed in adolescence (13-18 years), young adulthood (19-29 years) and at ages 29-35 years for those transitioning to parenthood. Exposures were weekly or more frequent preconception binge drinking (5 + drinks in one session), tobacco use and cannabis use. Outcomes were any alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use prior to awareness of the pregnancy, after awareness of pregnancy (up to and including the third trimester pregnancy) and at 1 year postpartum.

RESULTS

Frequent preconception binge drinking, tobacco use and cannabis use across both adolescence and young adulthood were strong predictors of continued use post-conception, before and after awareness of the pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum. Substance use limited to young adulthood also predicted continued use post-conception.

CONCLUSIONS

Persistent alcohol, tobacco use and cannabis use that starts in adolescence has a strong continuity into parenthood. Reducing substance use in the perinatal period requires action well before pregnancy, commencing in adolescence and continuing into the years before conception and throughout the perinatal period.

Alcohol use during pregnancy and motherhood: Attitudes and experiences of pregnant women, mothers, and healthcare professionals

Alcohol is the most used substance by women of childbearing age. Alcohol exposed pregnancies can have serious consequences to the fetus, and the UK has one of the highest rates of drinking during pregnancy. Alcohol use during motherhood is also a public health concern, linked with potential harms to the woman and child. This qualitative study investigated the attitudes and experiences of pregnant/parenting women and healthcare professionals regarding maternal drinking. A semi-structured focus group and interviews were conducted in the North West of England with pregnant women, mothers, and healthcare professionals. Quantitative measures captured demographics, alcohol use, and screened for mental ill-health for pregnant women and mothers. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse narratives. Findings revealed that most participants believed avoiding alcohol during pregnancy is the safest option. However, some pregnant women and mothers stated that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate the harms of low-level drinking and that abstinence guidelines were patronising. All participants reported that low-level drinking during motherhood was acceptable. Heavy drinking was believed to pose serious harm during pregnancy and motherhood to the baby and mother, in addition to damaging relationships. Strong motives were revealed for choosing and avoiding to drink, such as coping with the difficulties of motherhood and parental responsibilities, respectively. Contradictions were found across quantitative and qualitative self-reports of consumption, reflecting potential underreporting of alcohol use. Additionally, drinking levels were discussed in extremes only (low/heavy) without considering 'grey area' drinking. Clear, consistent advice and guidelines are needed to support women in reducing their alcohol use during pregnancy and motherhood. These should include the unique potential risks regarding maternal drinking, and the harm attributable to non-clinically dependent alcohol use. The maternal participants in this study were middle-class, therefore, research is needed to capture the views and experiences of women of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

The transition to parenthood, opportunity to drink, drinking, and alcohol use disorder

BACKGROUND

This study used life histories from a setting of near universal marriage and childbearing (Nepal) to identify associations between both marital transitions and the transition into parenthood and alcohol use and disorder (AUD).

METHODS

A retrospective, cross-sectional survey using life history calendars documented lifetime marital and childbearing histories of 4876 men and 5742 women aged 15-59 in 2016-18. The clinically validated, Nepal-specific Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed first alcohol use opportunity, use, and disorder.

RESULTS

Being never married increased the odds of having the opportunity to drink for men (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.14 - 1.48, p < 0.001) and women (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.08 - 1.43, p = 0.003) compared to being married. While men were never married, widowed, or divorced they were at a greater risk of developing AUD. The transition to parenthood significantly increased the odds of AUD onset for men (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.12 - 2.61, p = 0.013), independent of marital transitions. For women in this setting, becoming divorced increased the odds of having their first drink (OR=1.77, 95% CI=1.14 - 2.75, p = 0.011). Giving birth to a first child also increased the odds of first opportunity to drink for women (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.07 - 1.57, p = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

We found associations between marital transitions and AUD that are consistent with findings worldwide. In this setting of near universal childbearing, the transition into fatherhood increased the odds of postpartum AUD among men.

Birth order and health events attributable to alcohol and narcotics in midlife: A 25-year follow-up of a national Swedish birth cohort and their siblings

Higher birth order is associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes attributable to alcohol or narcotics in adolescence, but it remains unclear whether these observed birth order effects are also present in midlife. Drawing on a national Swedish cohort born in 1953 and their siblings, we estimate associations between birth order and alcohol- or narcotics-attributable hospitalization or death with a 25-year follow-up to assess whether birth order differences are observed during this life course period. Health events attributable to alcohol or narcotics use were identified using the Swedish National Patient and Cause of Death registers, respectively. We apply Cox proportional hazards models to estimate average birth order differences in hazards for alcohol- or narcotics-attributable hospitalization or death between ages 30 and 55. We estimate birth order differences between families, and use two fixed-effects approaches to estimate birth order differences within families and within families of the same type. Bivariate results indicate increased hazards for both outcomes with higher birth order; however, these results are no longer observed after adjustment for familial background characteristics in all models. Our results thereby show limited evidence for birth order differences in midlife. This study highlights that shared factors within the family of origin may be stronger predictors of adverse health outcomes attributable to substance use among siblings during this life course period. Future research should disentangle the contributions of the social environment within the family of origin for adverse health outcomes attributable to alcohol or narcotics among siblings.

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We estimate birth order differences for alcohol or narcotics use outcomes between ages 30-55.

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Birth order differences are not observed for alcohol- or narcotics-attributable events in midlife.

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Family background characteristics may be stronger predictors of these outcomes.

Examining Differences in Alcohol and Smoking Behaviors between Parenting and Nonparenting Lesbian Women

BACKGROUND

The transition to parenthood is a significant life event that has implications for health behaviors and health. Few studies have examined alcohol use and smoking by parenthood status (nonparent vs. parent) among women who identify as lesbian.

METHODS

This study used data from two longitudinal studies, the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women Study (n = 135) and the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (n = 116), to compare problem drinking and cigarette smoking trajectories among lesbian-identified women by parenthood status. We used mixed models to investigate differences in problem drinking and cigarette smoking in three waves of data in each study.

RESULTS

Lesbian parents reported significantly less problem drinking, but not cigarette smoking, than nonparent lesbian women. When considering the interaction between parental status and time, problem drinking was significantly higher among nonparents than parents at each time interval.

CONCLUSIONS

Parenthood was associated with positive changes in drinking among lesbian women; however, more research is needed to understand how to support smoking cessation among parenting lesbian women.

Double shifts, double trouble: Alcohol as a problematic panacea for working mothers

Alcohol consumption among midlife women has become an area of research focus. We suggest it is important to examine the social roles that many midlife women take on - specifically working mothers. Working mothers balance both employment and the unequal burden of caring/domestic duties, leading to 'double shifts' of paid and unpaid labor. This creates unique stresses that may impact their drinking. This is particularly important as a growing number of mothers re-enter the workforce after childbirth. In this commentary, we suggest that working mothers' drinking tends to be overlooked or even endorsed as a means of managing the gendered stresses they face - stresses which have been exacerbated during the pandemic. We highlight the dearth of literature focusing on the drinking patterns, practices, and motives of working mothers and argue that gendered expectations placed on working mothers may be an increasingly important social determinant of health among this group.

Association between Parenthood and Health Behaviour in Later Life-Results from the Population-Based CARLA Study

Previous research has focused on comparing health behaviour between parents and non-parents at younger ages, while little is known about the impact of being a parent on health behaviours in later life. We studied whether parenthood is associated with later physical activity (PA), dietary pattern, smoking status and alcohol consumption in German adults of middle and old age. We used data from the baseline examination of the population-based CARLA-study in Halle (Saale), comprising 1779 adults aged 45-83. Linear and logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between parenthood and health behaviours while controlling for age, partner status, education, income, occupational position, socioeconomic status in childhood, and number of chronic diseases. Of the participants, 89.1% had biological children. Being a father was associated with higher PA in sports (sport index ß = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [0.14; 0.44]), but not with PA in leisure time (excluding sports), dietary pattern, consumption of alcohol and smoking status. No associations were found between being a mother with all outcome variables. Provided that PA of fathers is typically reduced when the children are young, the development towards higher PA at later age needs to be studied in more detail.

The association between unemployment trajectories and alcohol consumption patterns. Evidence from a large prospective cohort in The Netherlands

Unemployment is expected to influence alcohol consumption, but studies show mixed results, partly because most studies concentrate on current employment status. However, unemployment could be particularly consequential if it is part of a trajectory of employment precariousness. Moreover, the association between unemployment and alcohol consumption may not be homogeneous across the population, but differ by subgroups (e.g. socioeconomic status). This study longitudinally analyses the association between different employment trajectories and alcohol consumption, and examines if the association is moderated by socioeconomic status (SES), partner status, age and gender. Four waves of data of the Lifelines Cohort study are used. Sample consists of individuals from 18-50 years old, active in the labor market (n = 104,766) from the northern provinces of the Netherlands. Employment trajectories are defined by employment status in each wave, duration of unemployment, and number of exposures to unemployment. Drinking patterns are divided into "abstainers", "moderate drinking" (<1.5 drinks/day), "heavy drinking" (≥1.5 drinks/day) and "binge drinking" (≥5 drinks/occasion; 4 for women). The associations are estimated with multinomial logistic regression models. Results show that recent, long-term unemployment (≥ 6 months) is associated with higher rates of heavy drinking (RRR = 1.26 [95 % CI 1.03-1.54]), whereas short-term unemployment does not show any association with the outcome. Being continuously unemployed throughout the observation period shows a strong association with binge drinking (RRR = 1.43 [95 % CI 1.06-1.93]), as well as reporting 2 or more long unemployment spells (RRR = 1.49 [95 % CI 1.21-1.83]). The group of abstainers (77.95 % women) have significantly lower SES, and poorer health than their peers. For some individuals, recent unemployment increases the likelihood for abstinence (RRR = 1.23 [95 % CI 1.00-1.51]). Evidence suggests that length of unemployment is key in order to grasp its effects in terms of changing drinking patterns.

Changes in alcohol consumption during pregnancy and over the transition towards parenthood

OBJECTIVE

To examine pre- to postnatal changes in drinking for women and men and assess the role of education level in these changes.

BACKGROUND

The transition towards parenthood can contribute to significant shifts in alcohol consumption for women and men. Research has generally focused on pregnancy and short-term changes following childbirth, usually for mothers only. Socio-economic variation in the impact of childbirth and return to drinking postnatally is similarly understudied.

METHOD

Longitudinal alcohol consumption data for 2470 individuals (1248 female) who were pregnant, or the partner of a pregnant woman, were obtained from a representative, Australian survey for three years prior and following birth. Piecewise regression models, including an education-x-time interaction, assessed changes in drinking quantity and frequency.

RESULTS

Female usual quantity and frequency significantly declined during pregnancy, followed by significant postnatal increases in quantity, approaching pre-pregnancy levels, with similar trends across education levels. Male usual quantity increased following childbirth, save for those men with a high-school education. Having an undergraduate degree was associated with a significant postnatal increase in drinking frequency.

CONCLUSION

Further awareness of the risks associated with male-partner drinking could provide substantial public health benefits. Successful facilitation and implementation of interventions and harm reduction strategies for harmful drinking over the pre- to postnatal period could benefit from further consideration of socioeconomic status and education level, particularly for men.

Associations of education and income with hazardous drinking among postpartum women in Japan: results from the TMM BirThree Cohort Study

Background

Although the postpartum period is suggested to provide an ideal opportunity for interventions to prevent hazardous drinking, evidence on the associations of education and income with hazardous drinking during this period is limited, including in Japan.

Methods

We analyzed data from 11,031 women who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study in Japan. Hazardous drinking was defined as ethanol intake of ≥20 g/day 1 year after delivery. We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses to examine whether educational attainment or equivalent household income was associated with hazardous drinking, adjusting for age, parity, drinking status during pregnancy, work status, postpartum depression, breastfeeding, and income/education. We also conducted stratified analyses by income and education groups.

Results

The prevalence of hazardous drinking 1 year after delivery was 3.6%. Lower education was associated with hazardous drinking; the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of high school education or lower compared with university education or higher was 2.17 (1.59–2.98). Lower income was also associated with hazardous drinking, but this association disappeared after further adjustments for education; the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the lowest compared with highest level of income were 1.42 (1.04–1.94) and 1.12 (0.81–1.54), respectively. A significant interaction was detected; lower education and lower income were associated with increased risks of hazardous drinking only in a lower income group and lower education group, respectively.

Conclusions

Postpartum women with lower education and lower income had higher risks of hazardous drinking in Japan.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12199-021-00991-9.

Are psychosocial interventions effective in reducing alcohol consumption during pregnancy and motherhood? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Alcohol use by pregnant and parenting women can have serious and long-lasting consequences for both the mother and offspring. We reviewed the evidence for psychosocial interventions to reduce maternal drinking.

DESIGN

Literature searches of PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus identified randomised controlled trials of interventions with an aim of reduced drinking or abstinence in mothers or pregnant women.

SETTING

Interventions were delivered in healthcare settings and homes.

PARTICIPANTS

Pregnant women and mothers with dependent children.

INTERVENTIONS

Psychosocial interventions were compared with usual care or no intervention.

MEASUREMENTS

The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials was used for quality assessments. Narrative synthesis summarised the findings of the studies with a subset of trials eligible for random-effects meta-analysis. General and alcohol-specific behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were identified to investigate potential mechanism of change.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies were included (20 pregnancy, four motherhood). Because of quality of reporting, data from only six pregnancy and four motherhood studies could be pooled. A significant treatment effect was revealed by the meta-analyses of pregnancy studies regarding abstinence (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.61, 3.32; P < 0.001) and motherhood studies regarding a reduction in drinking (standardised mean difference [SMD] = -0.20, 95% CI = -0.38, -0.02; P = 0.03). Narrative synthesis of the remaining trials yielded inconsistent results regarding intervention effectiveness. A wide range of BCTs were used, present in both effective and ineffective interventions. The most commonly used general and alcohol-specific BCTs included information about consequences, social support, goal setting and action planning.

CONCLUSIONS

In pregnant women identified as consuming alcohol, psychosocial interventions appear to increase abstinence rates compared with usual care or no intervention. Similarly, such interventions appear to lead to a reduction in alcohol consumption in mothers with dependent children. It is unclear that behaviour change techniques are contributing to these effects. Conclusions from randomised controlled trials are only meaningful if the behavioural outcome, population, setting, intervention and comparator are clearly reported. An important barrier when it comes to identifying effective behaviour change techniques is a widespread failure to provide enough information in study reports.

The association between parity, CVD mortality and CVD risk factors among Norwegian women and men

BACKGROUND

Several studies have shown that women and men with two children have lower mortality than the childless, but there is less certainty about mortality, including CVD mortality, at higher parities and meagre knowledge about factors underlying the parity-mortality relationship.

METHODS

The association between parity and CVD mortality was analyzed by estimating discrete-time hazard models for women and men aged 40-80 in 1975-2015. Register data covering the entire Norwegian population were used, and the models included a larger number of relevant sociodemographic control variables than in many previous studies. To analyze the relationship between parity and seven CVD risk factors, logistic models including the same variables as the mortality models were estimated from the CONOR collection of health surveys, linked to the register data.

RESULTS

Men (but not women) who had four or more children had higher mortality from CVD than those with two, although this excess mortality was not observed for the heart disease sub-group. Overweight, possibly in part a result of less physical activity, seems to play a role in this. All CVD risk factors except smoking and alcohol may contribute to the relatively high CVD mortality among childless.

CONCLUSIONS

Childbearing is related to a number of well-known CVD risk factors, and becoming a parent or having an additional child is, on the whole, associated with lower-or at least not higher-CVD mortality in Norway. However, for men family sizes beyond three children are associated with increased CVD mortality, with risks of overweight one possible pathway.

Profiles of Depressive Symptoms and Anger in Men: Associations With Postpartum Family Functioning

Background: Evidence suggests that men commonly experience depression as feelings of anger; yet, research has not investigated what this means for the manifestation of depressive symptoms in the early years of fatherhood and for key indicators of family functioning. Methods: Using data from a longitudinal cohort study of men at the normative age for entering fatherhood (28-32 years), we conducted latent class analyses to identify patterns of depressive symptoms and 3 sub-types of state anger (feeling; verbal; physical). We then assessed whether class membership was associated with paternity status (n = 535). In a subsample of fathers of infants aged up to 18 months (n = 162), we prospectively assessed associations with paternal-infant bonding, co-parenting, perceived social support, paternal involvement in childcare and alcohol use up to 2 years later. Results: Five classes emerged that differentiated men by anger and depressive symptom severity and by the degree to which men endorsed the feeling of wanting to express anger physically. Compared to the reference class with minimal symptoms, fathers had a higher probability of being in either the mild or most severe symptom classes. Men in symptomatic classes were at higher risk of lower levels of social support, co-parenting problems, and paternal-infant bonds. Class membership was not associated with alcohol use or paternal involvement in childcare. Conclusions: Our results reveal patterns of co-existing symptoms of depression and anger in fathers of infants that will be relevant to men's own need for support, their family safety, partner mental health and child developmental outcomes.

Gender-Specific Drinking Contexts Are Associated With Social Harms Resulting From Drinking Among Australian Young Adults at 30 Years

Aims

Understanding contexts in which social harms from drinking occur can help develop context-based harm reduction efforts. However, there is little knowledge of specific drinking contexts where such harms occur and whether these are gender or age specific. We aimed to investigate associations of a range of drinking contexts and social harms from drinking among young adults at age 30.

Methods

We used data from 2187 30-year-old adults. Latent constructs of gender-specific drinking contexts were created using factor analysis. We performed multivariate logistic regression between drinking contexts and a range of social harms from drinking, separately by gender.

Results

After accounting for social roles and binge drinking, gender-specific solitary drinking contexts (‘home drinking’ for men and ‘daytime drinking’ for women) were positively associated with marital problems and problems with other family members and friends. Conversely, ‘social drinking’ was not. Work-related drinking among men was associated with marital/intimate relationship problems and friendship problems. After accounting for mental health symptoms, women’s home drinking was associated with marital problems.

Conclusion

We found that experiences of social harms from drinking at 30 years differ depending on the drinker’s gender and context. Our findings suggest that risky contexts and associated harms are still significant among 30-year-old adults, indicating that a range of gender-specific drinking contexts should be represented in harm reduction campaigns. The current findings also highlight the need to consider gender to inform context-based harm reduction measures and to widen the age target for these beyond emerging adults.

Gender differences in social harms from drinking among young Australians: findings from the Mater University Study of Pregnancy and its Outcomes

Background: Despite the growing interest in investigating social harms from drinking, little is known about drinkers' reports of these harms and their gender differences among Australian young adults at age 30. We aimed to examine gender differences of social harms from drinking as reported by drinkers.Methods: 2,200 young adults at age 30 with complete data on social harms from drinking were drawn from the 30-year follow-up of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy. Measures included percentages of 11 past-year drinkers' self-reported social harms stratified by gender. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between gender and each social harm, accounting for relevant confounding.Results: More than one in five young adults (22%) reported at least one social harm in the past year. Among binge drinkers, 44% reported at least one social harm. After adjustments for social roles and binge drinking, we found no gender differences on several self-reported social harms: friendship problems, people criticizing drinking, non-marital family problems, employment problems, and alcohol-fuelled fights. However, men were more likely to report spousal threats to leave, drink-driving legal problems and financial problems.Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that young adults are still vulnerable to risky drinking at age 30 and the social harm resulting from drinking. Thus, alcohol prevention campaigns should target this age group and include women in their focus. Strategies aiming to reduce alcohol-related harms, such as screening in clinical settings for risky drinking and alcohol-related harms, followed by motivational behavior interventions, could be beneficial among these vulnerable groups.

High-intensity drinking by parental status: Differences by age and sex

AIMS

To examine differences in high-intensity drinking (HID) by parental status, parent age, and parent sex, including two- and three-way interaction effects of these parent demographic categories.

METHODS

The present study included individuals ages 18-50 from the National Epidemiologic Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (2012-13), a sample of non-institutionalized adults in the US (N = 22,278). We calculated weighted estimates of past-year HID (≥10/≥8 standard drinks for men/women on a single occasion) for each parental status group (parents of young children <5, parents of children 5-17, not parents of children <18) overall and stratified by sex and stratified by age. We then examined the overall association of parental status and HID and tested for interactions of parental status × sex, parental status × age, and parental status × age × sex, while controlling for other relevant sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Prevalence of HID varied considerably by parental status, with 14.84% of parents with kids under age 5, 12.72% of parents with kids 5 to 17, and 23.15% of non-parents reporting HID. The strength of the associations of parenthood and HID were strongest for females and for older parents.

CONCLUSIONS

While parents engage in HID less than those who are not parents, a portion of parents of young and adolescent children do report heavy drinking. Younger parents and male parents, in particular, are at high risk for HID. Given the risks to children and parents, interventions focused on preventing HID among parents, especially fathers, could have significant public health impacts.

Fathers' alcohol use and suicidal behaviour in offspring during youth and young adulthood

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between various indicators of father's alcohol use and suicidal behaviour in offspring during youth and young adulthood.

METHODS

The study is based on a cohort of 68 910 Swedish citizens who were born between 1970 and 1985 and have fathers who participated in conscription for compulsory military training in 1969/70. Information on fathers' alcohol use was collected during conscription. Offspring was followed for suicide attempts or completed suicides (through linkage with national registers) from age 12 to end of follow-up in 2008.

RESULTS

After adjustment for confounders, the hazard ratio (HR) for offspring to fathers who were heavy drinkers was 1.4 (95% CI 1.02, 1.93) while the associations turned non-significant for offspring to fathers who often drank into intoxication, HR 1.14 (0.68, 1.90). The highest risk for suicidal behaviour was found for offspring to fathers who had been apprehended for drunkenness two times or more, or with an alcohol-related hospitalization, with adjusted HRs of 2.1 (1.4, 3,14) and 1.9 (1.27, 2,85) respectively.

CONCLUSION

Fathers' alcohol use is associated with increased risk of suicidal behaviour among offspring in youth and young adulthood.