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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Michelle Rogers, PhD¹, Melissa Clark, PhD¹, Gene Armstrong, BS¹, Tonda Hughes, PhD², William Rakowski, PhD¹, Deborah Bowen, PhD³, and Kelly McGarry, MD⁴. (1) Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research, Brown University, Box G-B223, Providence, RI 02912, 4018633667, michelle_rogers@brown.edu, (2) College of Nursing, University of Illinois-Chicago, 845 S. Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612, (3) Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N. MP900, Seattle, WA 98109, (4) Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Box G-RIH, Providence, RI 02912

Background: Previous research suggests that women who partner with women (WPW) may have different experiences with alcohol than do women who partner with men (WPM). The Cancer Screening Project for Women interviewed unmarried women age 40-75 living in Rhode Island. We assessed health behaviors that may increase the risk of not obtaining routine medical care, and cancer screenings in particular. Methods: We used comparable techniques to recruit 208 WPW and 397 WPM. As part of an assessment of behavioral characteristics, we asked women if they had ever wondered whether they had a drinking problem (defined as lifetime drinking problem [LDP]) and if they consumed four or more drinks on one or more occasions in the past 30 days (defined as heavy episodic drinking [HED]). Results: There was no significant difference in LDP (21.7% vs. 28.8%, p=0.055) between WPM and WPW. Compared to WPM, WPW were more likely to report current HED (15.4% vs. 25.0%, p=0.004). However, controlling for demographic and behavioral characteristics, we found no differences by partner gender for either LDP or current HED. Women who reported a disability and those who identified themselves as either androgynous or more masculine than feminine were more likely to report LDP. Women who were employed, younger, and smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day were more likely to report current HED drinking. Conclusions: In our sample of comparably aged unmarried women, WPW did not differ from WPM in LDP or HED after controlling for important differences in demographic and health behavior characteristics.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe rates of self-assessed lifetime drinking problems (LDP) and current heavy episodic drinking (HED) in a sample of unmarried women age 40 to 75.
• Describe correlates of LDP and current HED in a sample of unmarried women age 40 to 7
• Compare LDP and HED rates between women who partner with women and women who partner with men.
• Discuss how findings from this study compare to prior studies.

Keywords: Lesbian Health, Alcohol Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered