Binge drinking and depressive symptoms: a 5-year population-based cohort study
Paljärvi T et al. - This study supports the hypothesis that heavy drinking, and in particular a binge pattern involving intoxications, hangovers or pass-outs, produces depressive symptoms in the general population. The frequency of hangovers was the best predictor for depressive symptoms. Methods- Prospective population-based two-wave cohort study, a cohort of alcohol-drinking men and women (n=15926) were followed-up after 5 years.
- A postal questionnaire was sent in 1998 (response proportion 40%) and again in 2003 (response proportion 80% of the baseline participants) to Finnish adults aged 20-54 years at baseline.
- Alcohol consumption was measured by average intake (g/week) and by measures of binge drinking (intoxications, hangovers and alcohol-induced pass-outs).
- Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory.
- Information from hospital discharge register for depression and alcohol abuse were linked to the data.
Results- This study found a positive association between baseline binge drinking and depressive symptoms 5 years later.
- Adjustment for several possible confounders attenuated the observed relationships only slightly, suggesting that binge drinking contributes independently to the occurrence of depressive symptoms.
- Binge drinking was related to symptoms of depression independently of average intake.
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