Binge Drinking’s Effect on Health-Related Quality of Life

Despite its
relationship with adverse social and health outcomes,
heavy alcohol use is often glamorized by the media—linked
to improved social interactions and enhanced quality of
life. This study examined the association between binge
drinking (consuming >=5 drinks on 1 occasion in the
past month) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL)
using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, a cross-sectional, random-digit-dial telephone
survey of adults 18 years and older nationwide.

• Among current drinkers (99,783 participants who consumed
  >=1 drinks in the past 30 days), 11% were frequent
  binge drinkers (>=3 episodes in the past month),
  and 14% were infrequent binge drinkers (1–2 episodes
  in the past month).
• In analyses adjusted for possible confounding factors,
  frequent binge drinkers, compared with non-binge drinkers,
  were significantly more likely to experience >=14
  unhealthy days (physical or mental) in the past month
  (the variable used to determine increased physical and
  mental health problems). This increased risk was mainly
  due to having more mentally unhealthy (versus physically
  unhealthy) days.
• Infrequent binge drinking was also significantly associated
  with experiencing >=14 unhealthy days among some
  groups (i.e., women, people 55 years and older).

Comments:

This study determined
that frequent, and sometimes infrequent, binge drinking is associated
with worse HRQOL and, in particular, mental distress. Given the cross-sectional
design of the study, it is not clear whether binge drinking led to
worse HRQOL or vice versa. Nonetheless, the significant findings
underscore the adverse consequences of binge drinking and
support the need for effective prevention efforts, including educating
people that heavy drinking does not improve health-related quality
of life.

Joseph Conigliaro, MD, MPH

Reference:

Okoro CA, Brewer RD,
Naimi TS, et al. Binge drinking and health-related quality of life:
do popular perceptions match reality? Am J Prev Med. 2004;26(3):230–233.
(view
abstract)