TY  - JOUR
AB  - AIMS: This study aimed at testing whether drinking volume and episodic heavy drinking (EHD) frequency in Germany are polarizing between consumption levels over time. Polarization is defined as a reduction in alcohol use among the majority of the population, while a subpopulation with a high intake level maintains or increases its drinking or its EHD frequency. The polarization hypothesis was tested across and within socio-economic subgroups. METHOD: Analyses were based on seven cross-sectional waves of the Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) conducted between 1995 and 2012 (n = 7833-9084). Overall polarization was estimated based on regression models with time by consumption level interactions; the three-way interaction with socio-economic status (SES) was consecutively introduced to test the stability of effects over socio-economic strata. Interactions were interpreted by graphical inspection. RESULTS: For both alcohol use indicators, declines over time were largest in the highest consumption level. This was found within all SES groups, but was most pronounced at low and least pronounced at medium SES. CONCLUSION: The results indicate no polarization but convergence between consumption levels. Socio-economic status groups differ in the magnitude of convergence which was lowest in medium SES. The overall decline was strongest for the highest consumption level of low SES.
AU  - Gomes de Matos, E.*
AU  - Kraus, L.*
AU  - Pabst, A.
AU  - Piontek, D.*
C1  - 45108
C2  - 37229
SP  - 700-707
TI  - Does a change over all equal a change in all? Testing for polarized alcohol use within and across socio-economic groups in Germany.
JO  - Alcohol Alcohol.
VL  - 50
IS  - 6
PY  - 2015
SN  - 0735-0414
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Rausch, V.*
AU  - Straub, B.K.*
AU  - Peccerella, T.*
AU  - Pawella, L.M.*
AU  - Lackner, C.*
AU  - Yagmur, E.*
AU  - Stickel, F.*
AU  - Herzig, S.
AU  - Seitz, H.K.*
AU  - Longerich, T.*
AU  - Mueller, S.*
C1  - 47068
C2  - 39222
TI  - Primary hepatocellular damage and suppressed fat mobilization in heavy drinkers with PNPLA3 G genotype.
JO  - Alcohol Alcohol.
VL  - 50
PY  - 2015
SN  - 0735-0414
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Aims: The present study investigates the combined effect of average volume and binge drinking in predicting alcohol-related social problems and estimates the proportion of alcohol-related harms related to specific drinking patterns that could be prevented if transferred to a low-risk drinking group. Methods: Data came from the 1997 and 2000 German Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) (age: 18-59 years; response rate: 65% and 51%, respectively). The pooled sample consisted of 12,668 current drinkers. By using nine categories of average daily intake and three groups of binge drinking, individuals were grouped into 22 mutual exclusive groups. Social problems were defined as the occurrence of 'repeated family quarrels', 'concern of family members or friends', 'loss of partner or friend' or 'physical fight or injury' in relation to alcohol. Results: The effect of average daily intake is modified by binge drinking frequency such that the association was strongest in those with four or more binge drinking occasions during the last 30 days. Within each binge drinking group, adjusted relative risks (aRR) increased with alcohol intake up to a certain threshold and decreased thereafter. Overall, compared to the reference group (<= 7 g ethanol/day-025EFno binge), the population-attributable fraction (PAF) related to the other drinking groups was 71.4% (95% CI: 64.4-77.1%). Conclusions: The frequency of binge drinking occasions seems to be a better predictor of alcohol-related social problems than volume. Alcohol-related social harms especially among drinkers with moderate volume per day may be reduced by targeting prevention strategies towards episodic heavy drinkers.
AU  - Kraus, L.*
AU  - Baumeister, S.E.
AU  - Pabst, A.*
AU  - Orth, B.*
C1  - 1325
C2  - 26143
SP  - 314-320
TI  - Association of average daily alcohol consumption, binge drinking and alcohol-related social problems: Results from the German Epidemiological Surveys of Substance Abuse.
JO  - Alcohol Alcohol.
VL  - 44
IS  - 3
PB  - Oxford Univ Press
PY  - 2009
SN  - 0735-0414
ER  -