Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118093

Thomas K. Greenfield, PhD¹, Jason Bond, PhD², Yu Ye, MA², and William Kerr, PhD¹. (1) Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 2000 Hearst Avenue, Ste 300, Berkeley, CA 94709, 510-642-5208, tgreenfield@arg.org, (2) Alcohol Research Group, 2000 Hearst Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709

Studies on safe drinking levels to inform public health messages usually address the general population, not important subgroups. Two groups for whom messages are salient are those indicating (a) prior help seeking for, or (b) concern about, drinking. Using data from the 1995 and 2000 National Alcohol Surveys we studied 7,447 drinkers, comparing risks of alcohol dependence and abuse in these groups and those never treated or concerned. We assessed volume of consumption and heavy drinking at four levels--5+ for men (4+ women), 8+, 12+ and 24+ drinks in a day. Segmentation and logistic regression analyses showed that current drinking patterns reliably predicted 12-month dependence/abuse. Problem risks for treated and concerned groups did not statistically differ, but risks for both were markedly higher at all volume/quantity levels than those found for the rest of the general population (never treated or concerned). Best advice for concerned or formerly treated people is to drink no more than 2 drinks per week on average and never to exceed the NIAAA Physicians Guideline daily quantities--men never > 4, women never > 3 drinks. Findings suggest the the rest of the general public could relatively safely drink up to 2 drinks a day on average if also never exceeding these daily quantities. We conclude that those for whom public health messages are most salient (indicating prior alcohol treatment or concern) should be advised to drink less often and at lower intensities than the general public.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn best advice on safe drinking pattern for those treated for, or expressing concern about, their drinking.
• Participants will better understand drinking patterns and how they affect risks for alcohol abuse and dependence in several groups.
• Participants will take away new and practical ideas about evidence-based public health messages for use in both clinical and general settings.

Keywords: Alcohol Problems, Public Health Policy

Related Web page: www.arg.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation