Childhood Circumstances and Alcohol Consumption in Portuguese People Aged 50 and Over: An Analysis of the “Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe” Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.24100Keywords:
Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Alcohol DrinkingAbstract
Introduction: The aim of this study was to estimate the association between childhood and adolescence circumstances and alcohol consumption in Portuguese adults aged 50 and over, particularly focusing on socioeconomic conditions, physical abuse, family and social integration during childhood and adolescence, and alcohol consumption in adulthood.
Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, and analytical epidemiological study using self-reported data collected face-to-face through computer-assisted interviews in waves 7 (2017) and 9 (2022) of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe in Portugal. Participants included all Portuguese individuals who responded to the “Childhood and Adolescence Circumstances” module (wave 7) and “Behavioural Risks” module (wave 9). Associations were assessed using chi-squared or Student’s t-tests. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated through binary and multinomial logistic regressions models.
Results: A total of 903 participants were included; 378 (41.9%) were male and 770 (85.3%) were over 65 years old. Higher-risk drinking was identified in 220 participants (50,0%).The optimized binary logistic regression model for the current drinkers revealed significant positive associations between higher-risk alcohol consumption and male sex (OR = 6.444; 95% CI 4.329 – 11.111; ρ < 0.001), and having been a victim of physical abuse in childhood and adolescence (OR 2.063; 95% CI 1.119 – 3.803; ρ = 0.020). Living in a house with better conditions (OR = 0.767; CI 0.608 – 0.968; ρ = 0.025) revealed a significant negative association with higher-risk alcohol consumption. The optimized multinomial logistic regression model considering the non and current drinkers supported that being male (low-risk OR = 2.312; 95% CI: 1.567 – 0.3409; ρ < 0.001 higher-risk OR = 15.682; 95% CI: 10.041 – 24.491; ρ < 0.001) and physical abuse in the childhood and adolescence (higher-risk OR = 2.049; 95% CI: 1.200 – 3.497; ρ = 0.008) were risk factors for higher-risk alcohol consumption.
Conclusion: Physical abuse in childhood was associated with higher-risk alcohol consumption, while living in better housing conditions during these periods showed a protective association. Being male was strongly associated with both low- and higher-risk drinking patterns. Further studies, especially longitudinal ones, are needed to clarify the role of early-life circumstances in alcohol consumption.
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