Recent life changes may be associated with alcohol consumption only among adult women

MARCOS, S; MICHALINA, FJ; ARAUJO AÑON, LC; CORSI, GN; BUJÁN, GE; GUELMAN, LR; MOLINA, SJ

Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Congreso; XIX Reunión Nacional y VIII Encuentro Internacional de la AACC; 2023

Asociación Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento (AACC)

Alcohol consumption (AC) is a global concern due to its potential adverse effects on well-being. Numerous studies have demonstrated that stress and lifestyle choices play a significant role in the prevalence of AC. Thus, the aim of this research was to investigate the patterns of AC among adults living in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires and to evaluate its association with stress and lifestyle on their drinking habits.307 participants (76.9% women; Mean age= 39.12 ± 0.63) completed an online survey, providing information on AC quantity and frequency, as well as responding to the RLCQ, PSS, and HPLP-II questionnaires to assess recent life changes, perceived stress levels, and lifestyle factors.Results showed that 80% of the participants consumed alcohol in the last month, with an average consumption of 2.67 ± 0.16 and 3.21 ± 0.29 standard drink units (SD) per occasion and 11.42 ± 0.77 and 16.39 ± 1.82 SD per month, for women and men respectively. Significant correlations were observed exclusively among women participants, linking the SD monthly consumption to the variables assessed through the questionnaires. Regression analysis revealed that the independent variables accounted for 13% of the variance of SD monthly consumption, being the recent life changes related to the social, personal and work domains positively associated with increased SD monthly consumption.In conclusion, the high prevalence of AC among adults emphasizes the importance of exploring new preventive strategies. Recent life changes in the social, personal and work domains, especially in women, can act as stressors that could be associated to increased AC, possibly as a coping mechanism. Unfortunately, there is limited research on AC within the population of Buenos Aires. Consequently, this work represents a significant advancement in the identification of risk factors related to AC in this population.