In the project, ?Drinking Levels (Binge, Volume) And Alcohol Consequences: Using National Data To Identify Clinical Trial Endpoints? (R01AA025309), epidemiologic data have been used to investigate the relationship of heavy drinking indicators to the risk for alcohol dependence and other drinking consequences. Much of the work for this study has focused on whether non-abstinent drinking reductions improve how individuals feel and function across a broad range of domains. In the project, drinking reduction has primarily been measured by the World Health Organization (WHO) risk drinking levels: very high risk, high risk, moderate risk, and low risk. These represent gender-specific average volumes of ethanol consumed per day. Health outcomes have covered a broad range of domains, including alcohol dependence (occurrence, persistence), impaired functioning, liver disease, AUDIT-C screening scores, drug use disorders, depressive/anxiety disorders, and cardiovascular disease. The project has also contributed to papers addressing similar issues regarding WHO risk drinking levels in treatment data from randomized clinical trials. However, the study did not include the relationship of WHO risk drinking levels to additional important variables that are often highly related to drinking levels and also to the outcomes already analyzed. In particular, these additional variables include tolerance to alcohol; family history of alcohol use disorders; and sexual minority status. In addition, no information exists on whether experiencing discrimination as a member of a sexual minority group moderates the relationship of sexual minority status to WHO risk drinking levels. Therefore, Aim 1 of this administrative supplement is to conduct these additional analyses on WHO risk drinking levels and alcohol tolerance, family history of alcohol use disorders, and sexual minority status, which will involve unanticipated costs. Furthermore, no document exists that summarizes extant information on the epidemiology of heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders (AUD), including the findings of the project, in a user-friendly form for healthcare providers. Healthcare providers are often not knowledgeable about the epidemiology of heavy drinking and AUD and the benefits of non-abstinent drinking reduction. Providing this knowledge to them may help them do improved screening and brief interventions with their patients. Therefore, Aim 2 of this administrative supplement is to prepare a document for healthcare providers that summarizes accurate knowledge about the epidemiology of heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders in a manner that will be easy for the healthcare providers to understand and use. This work will also involve unanticipated costs.
Although considerable information exists on the relationship of the WHO risk drinking levels (very high risk, high risk, moderate risk, and low risk) to a number of health outcomes, the relationship of the WHO risk drinking levels to alcohol tolerance, a family history of alcohol use disorders, and sexual minority status has yet to be investigated in US national data. Further, many healthcare providers are not knowledgeable about the epidemiology of heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders. Through this administrative supplement, the nationally important information on WHO risk drinking levels and alcohol tolerance, a family history of alcohol use disorders, and sexual minority status will be determined, and accurate information about alcohol epidemiology will be summarized in a user-friendly document for distribution to healthcare providers around the US.
