Citation

Meiklejohn J, Connor J, Kypri K. N. Zeal. Med. J. 2012; 125(1360): 28-36.

Affiliation

Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand, New Zealand. jessica.meiklejohn@otago.ac.nz.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, New Zealand Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

22932652

Abstract

AIM: To quantify the prevalence and distribution of negative effects of drinking among New Zealand adults. METHODS: A postal survey was completed by 1924 people aged 18-70 randomly selected from the New Zealand electoral roll (49.5% response). Information on drinking patterns, demographics and specific alcohol-related harms and troubles in the previous 12 months was collected. RESULTS: 33.8% of current drinkers reported that they had been adversely affected by their own drinking in one or more specified domains in the past 12 months ("harm") and 12.7% reported one or more specified alcohol-related "troubles". Men were more likely to report alcohol-related harm (OR=1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-1.7) and alcohol-related trouble (OR=1.5; 95%CI 1.1-2.1) compared to women. People of Maori ethnicity and those with an NZDep06 score of 9-10 were at increased risk of both harms and troubles. The odds of reporting a harm or trouble in the past year decreased substantially with age. Heavy episodic drinking and level of average daily consumption were both associated with increased risk of both alcohol-related harm and trouble, but this did not explain all of the variation. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of harm and trouble resulting from drinking is high in the general population as judged by the drinkers themselves. These findings support the association of heavy alcohol consumption with increased risk of alcohol-related harm. They also suggest that being male, young, Maori or living in a very deprived area in NZ are associated with a higher risk of alcohol-related harm.

Language: en