TY - JOUR

T1 - Alcohol-related morbidity and mortality within siblings

AU - Søndergaard, Grethe

AU - Osler, Merete

AU - Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

AU - Andersen, Per Kragh

AU - Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg

AU - Mortensen, Laust H

N1 - © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

PY - 2015/3

Y1 - 2015/3

N2 - AIMS: To estimate the association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality among full siblings in comparison with non-related individuals.DESIGN: Cohort study.SETTING: Denmark.PARTICIPANTS: Approximately 1.4 million full siblings born in Denmark between 1950 and 1979 were followed from age 28-58 years or censoring due to alcohol-related hospitalization and mortality.MEASUREMENTS: Cox regression analyses were used to estimate associations of educational status with alcohol-related outcomes. Results from cohort analyses based on non-related individuals and inter-sibling analyses were compared.FINDINGS: A lower educational status was associated with a higher rate of alcohol-related outcomes, especially among the youngest (aged 28-37 years) and individuals born 1970-79. Compared with the cohort analyses, the associations attenuated slightly in the inter-sibling analysis. For example, in the cohort analysis, females with a basic school education born 1970-79 had an increased rate of alcohol-related non-somatic morbidity and mortality [hazard rate ratio (HR) = 4.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.27-5.02] compared to those with a vocational education. In the inter-sibling analysis, the HR attenuated (HR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.95-3.63). For alcohol-related somatic outcomes the corresponding figures were HR = 3.47 (95% CI = 2.63-4.58) and HR = 3.36 (95% CI = 2.10-5.38), respectively. In general, the associations were stronger among females than males (aged 28-37) in the analyses of alcohol-related non-somatic outcomes. Health conditions earlier in life explained only a minor part of the associations.CONCLUSIONS: The association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality is only driven by familial factors to a small degree.

AB - AIMS: To estimate the association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality among full siblings in comparison with non-related individuals.DESIGN: Cohort study.SETTING: Denmark.PARTICIPANTS: Approximately 1.4 million full siblings born in Denmark between 1950 and 1979 were followed from age 28-58 years or censoring due to alcohol-related hospitalization and mortality.MEASUREMENTS: Cox regression analyses were used to estimate associations of educational status with alcohol-related outcomes. Results from cohort analyses based on non-related individuals and inter-sibling analyses were compared.FINDINGS: A lower educational status was associated with a higher rate of alcohol-related outcomes, especially among the youngest (aged 28-37 years) and individuals born 1970-79. Compared with the cohort analyses, the associations attenuated slightly in the inter-sibling analysis. For example, in the cohort analysis, females with a basic school education born 1970-79 had an increased rate of alcohol-related non-somatic morbidity and mortality [hazard rate ratio (HR) = 4.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.27-5.02] compared to those with a vocational education. In the inter-sibling analysis, the HR attenuated (HR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.95-3.63). For alcohol-related somatic outcomes the corresponding figures were HR = 3.47 (95% CI = 2.63-4.58) and HR = 3.36 (95% CI = 2.10-5.38), respectively. In general, the associations were stronger among females than males (aged 28-37) in the analyses of alcohol-related non-somatic outcomes. Health conditions earlier in life explained only a minor part of the associations.CONCLUSIONS: The association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality is only driven by familial factors to a small degree.

U2 - 10.1111/add.12823

DO - 10.1111/add.12823

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25440409

VL - 110

SP - 451

EP - 460

JO - Addiction

JF - Addiction

SN - 0965-2140

IS - 3

ER -