Lead Article
Educational Differences in Excessive Alcohol Consumption: The Role of Psychosocial and Material Stressors,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1999.0496Get rights and content

Abstract

Background. Socioeconomic differences in health are determined mainly by socioeconomic differences in unhealthy behavior. Little is known, however, about the mechanisms that account for socioeconomic differences in unhealthy behavior, such as excessive alcohol consumption. In this paper we examined educational differences in excessive alcohol consumption in The Netherlands and whether these may be explained by educational differences in experienced stress and stress-moderating factors.

Methods. Data were obtained from the baseline survey of the Longitudinal Study on Socio Economic Health Differences in 1991. Excessive drinking was defined as drinking more than six glasses on 3 or more days a week or more than four glasses on 5 or more days a week. Socioeconomic status was indicated by educational level. Stressors were divided into psychosocial and material factors. Analyses were performed for women (n = 756) and men (n = 1,006) separately, among drinkers only.

Results. Excessive alcohol consumption was more common among lower educational groups. Material stressors, such as financial problems, deprivation, and income, were related to part of the educational gradient in excessive alcohol consumption. Differences in stress-moderating factors were not related to the educational gradient in excessive drinking.

Conclusions. Our results suggest that improvement of material conditions among the lower educational groups could result in a reduction of socioeconomic differences in excessive alcohol consumption.

References (50)

  • M Baal van

    Trend figures Netherlands Health Interview Survey: aspects of (un)healthy behaviour, 1989–1995

    Mndber Gezondheid (CBS)

    (1996)
  • RM Crum et al.

    Level of education and alcohol abuse and dependence in adulthood: a further inquiry

    Am J Public Health

    (1993)
  • BS Hanson

    Social network, social support and heavy drinking in elderly men—a population study of men born in 1914, Malmö, Sweden

    Addiction

    (1994)
  • RA Knibbe et al.

    The development of alcohol consumption in the Netherlands: 1958–1981

    Br J Addict

    (1985)
  • LT Midanik et al.

    The epidemiology of alcohol consumption

    Alcohol Health Res World

    (1992)
  • M Russell et al.

    The influence of sociodemographic characteristics on familial alcohol problems: data from a community sample

    Alcohol Clin Exp Res

    (1990)
  • ES L Gomberg

    Women and alcohol: use and abuse

    J Nerv Ment Dis

    (1993)
  • J Taylor et al.

    Factors affecting alcohol consumption in black women. Part II

    Int J Addict

    (1990)
  • H Cappell et al.

    Alcohol and tension reduction. An update on research and theory

  • C Power et al.

    Employment and drinking in early adulthood: a longitudinal perspective

    Br J Addict

    (1990)
  • CL Broman

    Social relationships and health-related behaviour

    J Behav Med

    (1993)
  • RS Peirce et al.

    Financial stress, social support and alcohol involvement: a longitudinal test of the buffering hypothesis in a general population survey

    Health Psychol

    (1996)
  • JK Morris et al.

    Non-employment and changes in smoking, drinking, and body weight

    BMJ

    (1992)
  • A Romelsjö et al.

    The relationship between stressful life situations and changes in alcohol consumption in a general population sample

    Br J Addict

    (1991)
  • Cited by (0)

    The Longitudinal Study on Socio Economic Health Differences is a part of the GLOBE study, which is the Dutch acronym for Health and Living Conditions of the Population of Eindhoven and its surroundings. The GLOBE study was initialized and is being carried out by the Department of Public Health Services of the city of Eindhoven and the region of South-East Brabant.

    ☆☆

    The Longitudinal study on Socio Economic Health Differences is supported financially by the Prevention Fund and the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare, and Sports.

    2

    To whom reprint requests should be addressed. Fax: 010-4366831. E-mail: [email protected].

    View full text