College Alcohol Study for Alcohol-Related Behaviors and Problems / 보건행정학회지

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to investigate the drinking behaviors and drinking-related problems of college students in South Korea to produce national alcohol statistics. METHODS: We carefully examined the questionnaires and previous research developed in the previous research project and selected questions that reflect the special environment and culture of college students. In order to stratify a nationally representative sample of college students, the distribution of students around the country were found through the educational statistics database of the Korea Educational Development Institute. Based on this information, we conducted a survey in collaboration with Gallup (Korea) to survey and analyze the drinking behaviors of 5,024 Korean students. RESULTS: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017, for Korean college students. A total of 5,024 students were recruited and analyzed. The monthly drinking rate was 78.0% for male students and 72.9% for female students. The high-risk drinking rate was 23.3% for male students and 17.2% for female students. The most popular category for number of drinks per drinking session was ‘more than 10 glasses’ per drinking session for both male (44.1%) and female (32.8%). On the alcohol use disorders identification test, the greatest proportion of male students were in the high-risk drinking category (score 8 to 15) 43.8%, followed by the ‘low-risk drinking’ (score 0 to 7) in 43.6%, ‘alcohol abuse’ (score 16 to 19) 7.2%, and ‘alcohol dependence’ (greater than 20) 5.4% categories, respectively. For female students, the greatest proportion of female students were in the ‘low-risk drinking’ in 49.6%, followed by ‘high-risk drinking’ 37.1%, ‘alcohol abuse’ 8.4%, and ‘alcohol dependence’ 4.9% categories, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that the drinking behavior of Korean college students was excessive. Overall, it was found that the college population has a greater high-risk drinking behaviors than general adult population. Furthermore, these problem drinking behaviors were prominent among female college students. Results from the present study suggest that it is necessary to monitor the drinking behavior of college students with constant interest and to prepare policies and strategies suitable for these circumstances.

The Relationship between Problematic Alcohol Use and Depressive Symptoms among Female University Students: Moderating Effect of the Satisfaction with Life and Happiness / 우울ㆍ조울병

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of problem drinking among female university students, and also aims to identify whether satisfaction with life and happiness moderate the relationship between problem drinking and depressive symptoms in this population.METHODS: A stratified clustered sample of 1,267 female university students were recruited in a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on socio-demographic characteristics, as well as questions about problem drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders of Identification Test, AUDIT), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI), satisfaction with life (Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS) and happiness (Positive Psychotherapy Inventory, PPTI).RESULTS: The prevalence of problem drinking among the female university students that participated in the survey was 38.5%. By moderated regression analysis, happiness showed a moderating effect between problem drinking and depressive symptoms (β=−0.248, p < 0.01). However, the moderating effect of satisfaction with life was not significant (β=−0.095, p=0.215).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a positive psychology-based program for female university students with problem drinking may be useful for the alleviation of depressive symptoms.

Factors Affecting Problem Drinking in Korean College Women / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the level of problem drinking and assess factors that influence problem drinking in Korean college women. METHODS: The participants were 500 students who took part in a self-administered online survey. AUDIT, BDI-II, AES, PSS, and PES were included in the survey used in this study. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistic, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. RESULTS: The average score for AUDIT was 8.98±6.38 and the proportion of the problem drinking was 50.8%. Significant factors that influenced problem drinking were depression, alcohol expectations, age of first drink and family income. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study suggest that the need to develop nursing intervention programs for early prevention of excessive alcohol use and recovery for college women who have a drinking problem.

Effect of Post-traumatic Stress and Ways of Stress Coping on Problem Drinking in Firefighters / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The study aimed to determine the impact of post-traumatic stress and ways of stress coping on problem drinking in firefighters. METHODS: Data were collected from May 11 to June 11, 2015, in fire brigades across South Korea. Participants were 183 male firefighters who used self-report questionnaires containing questions from the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Data were analyzed using χ2 test, t-test, and logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: The prevalence of PTSD among firefighters was 36.7% and that of problem drinking was 39.3%. Firefighters with single (OR=0.23, 95% CI=0.038~1.321) and married status (OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.069~3.040) were less likely to have problem drinking than those who were divorced or bereavement. Those with invasion symptoms (OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.031~1.327) and hyperarousal symptoms (OR=0.85, 95% CI=0.722~0.989) were more likely to have problem drinking than those with avoidance symptoms. CONCLUSION: Post-traumatic stress symptom was a major risk factor that increased problem drinking, and married status reduced problem drinking. There is a need to develop post-traumatic stress symptom management program and early education content for symptom management.

Effects of Knowledge and Recognition of Alcohol Use during Pregnancy on Actual Alcohol Use during Pregnancy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence in a planned pregnancy of alcohol related family variables, knowledge and recognition of the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy on actual alcohol use during pregnancy. METHODS: The participants were 284 women who had experienced a pregnancy at some time in their lives. The data were collected from December 2011 to January 2012 and the method of data collection was self-report questionnaires. The instruments for this study were AUDIT-K, Knowledge of alcohol use during pregnancy, and Recognition of alcohol use during pregnancy. RESULTS: There were higher incidences of alcohol use during pregnancy when alcohol consumption was a problem, when there was a family member with an alcohol problem, or after having had an artificial abortion. There was no correlation in alcohol use during pregnancy with knowledge, but a correlation with recognition was found. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the main factor in alcohol use during pregnancy is recognition of the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy.

Moderate drinking and motivational enhancement therapy

Alcohol consumption rates of Korean men and women are 85.8% and 65.4%, respectively. In regard to the amount of drinking, the highest frequency in men, among 37.2%, was over 10 glasses and in women was 1-2 glasses (1 glass, 12-14 g of alcohol) per day. Moderate drinking was defined as 2 glasses per day for men and 1 glass per day for women. Drinking beyond the moderate level could be risky or problematic. Alcohol related problems such as liver disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, accidents, crimes, injuries, and social and family problems in Korea create a great socioeconomic burden and threaten public health. Evidence-based treatments for problematic drinking, such as brief intervention, behavior change counseling, and motivational enhancement interviewing or therapy, have been suggested. An especially effective method would be motivation enhancement treatment (MET) due to since it is a client-centered approach and enhances self-efficacy based decisional balance. The major techniques of MET are feedback, responsibility, advice about changing, menu of change options, empathic counseling, self efficacy. The success factors for MET are sit squarely, open posture, lean toward patient, eye contact, relax posture. However, scientific accumulation of research results on the benefit of counseling for problematic drinking in Korea is still insufficient to provide the evidence for above treatment techniques.

Association between Psychosocial Work Environments and Problem Drinking: Age Differences in Korean Male Workers / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study firstly examined the pattern and prevalence of drinking. Secondly, we investigated the association between various psychosocial work environment and problem drinking among Korean male workers in different age groups. METHODS: The study sample was a weighted population of 3,289 (3,289 survey samples) men aged 20 to 64 years who responded to the 2006 Korean Working Condition Survey. Social support from colleague and supervisor, work autonomy, psychological wellbeing at work, and intellectual and emotional work demand were assessed. RESULTS: After considering sociodemographic factors, smoking, occupational characteristics and other psychosocial work environment factors, problem drinking was associated with "intellectual work demand" for the 20~34 year old group. Social support from colleague and supervisor was significantly associated with problem drinking in the 35~49 year old group. For the 50~64 year old group, problem drinking was associated with 'work autonomy'. CONCLUSION: The present study clarified that certain psychosocial work environmental factors relate to problem drinking, and the association varies among different age groups.

Usefulness of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test in Screening for Problem Drinkers among College Students / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is effective in identifying problem drinking. This study purposed to evaluate the usefulness of AUDIT in identifying problem drinking among Korean university students whose drinking characteristic is different from adults. METHODS: The subjects were 235 students who had visited the Health Service Center of Chungnam National University. All subjects had a diagnostic interview for the presence of at-risk drinking and alcohol use disorder. At-risk drinking was defined according to the criteria of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder was diagnosed by the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV TR). At-risk drinking or alcohol use disorder was classified into problem drinking. At the same time, a survey was conducted using three screening tools: AUDIT, cut down, annoyed, guilty feelings, eye opener (CAGE), and cut down, under influence, guilty feelings, eye opener (CUGE). Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the questionnaires to the results of interviews were compared. RESULTS: Seventy one students were at-risk drinkers and 46 had alcohol use disorder, and 75 were classified into problem drinkers. For identification of problem drinking, AUROC of AUDIT was 0.970 in men and 0.989 in women. For CAGE, it was 0.650 in men and 0.747 in women. For CUGE, it was 0.689 in men and 0.745 in women. CONCLUSION: Above results suggest that AUDIT is most effective in identifying university students' problem drinking.

Job Characteristics and Occupational Stress on Health Behavior in Korean Workers / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of job characteristics and occupational stress on health-related behavior. METHODS: Eight thousand five hundred twenty two workers (21-65 years of age) who recruited from a nationwide sample in Korea completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding socio-demographic factors, job characteristics, health-related behaviors such as alcohol consumption, current smoking status & exercise, and occupational stress assessed by Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Multivariate analyses were conducted to analyze the association of occupational stress and job characteristics with health behavior according to gender separately. RESULTS: In male, the problem drinking was positively associated with older age, lower educational level, some industries such as 'transport,' 'wholesale and retail trade' industries, difficult physical environment, insufficient job control, inadequate social support, job insecurity, and organizational injustice. Current smoking was positively associated with younger age, lower educational level, single marital status, lower incomes, 'transport' industry and high job demand. The rate of regular exercise was negatively associated with lower incomes, shift works, and the 'electricity, gas and water supply' industies, high job demand, insufficient job control, inadequate social support, job insecurity, and lack of reward. 'Financial institutions and insurance' industry. CONCLUSION: Occupational stress and certain industrial classification have impact on health related lifestyles in Korean male employees.

Effects of Group Education by Primary Care Physicians on the Readiness to Change in Heavy Drinkers / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Patient education can play an important role in motivating patients to change their problematic behavior. This study purposed to evaluate the effects of brief group education, which was performed by primary care physicians, on the improvement of the readiness to change in problem drinkers after a year from the education. METHODS: A total of 34 male were followed up as the subjects who had been problem drinkers and at the stage of precontemplation or contemplation before group education. The readiness to change in the subjects was re-evaluated again 12 weeks and a year after the brief group education. RESULTS: Before the education, 11 patients among the subjects were at the stage of precontemplation and 23 at the contemplation. The distribution was significantly changed into 2 at the stage of precontemplation, 14 at the contemplation and 18 at the action 12 weeks after the group education (P < 0.001), and into 2 at the precontemplation, 16 at the contemplation, and 16 at the action a year after the group education (P < 0.001). The most influential factor associated with the improvement of the status of readiness to change was the family function score (after 12 weeks odds ratio 1.99, 95% CI 1.10-3.62; after a year odds ratio 2.31, 95% CI 1.10-4.85). CONCLUSION: Problem drinkers who had participated in the brief group education by primary care physicians showed continuous improvement in the readiness to change even after a year from the education.

Utility of Single Alcohol Questions Related to Binge Drinking in Identifying Problem Drinkers / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was done to validate the three single questions about binge drinking for identifying problem drinkers. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-one patients (133 men) were interviewed by family physicians for the presence of problem drinking which was defined as at-risk drinking or alcohol use disorders according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) guideline and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. The three single questions (the largest amount of drinking in a day; days of drinking 1.5 bottle [1 bottle in women] or more of Soju [Korean alcoholic beverage, 56 g of alcohol/bottle]; and days of getting drunk during the recent 3 months) were validated against the interview results. RESULTS: Among 261 interviewees, 31.4% were at-risk drinkers, 30.2% had a current alcohol use disorder, and 36.8% had either or both conditions. The first question, considering 4 drinks or more for men and 3 drinks or more for women as positive, showed a sensitivity of 93.8% and specificity of 75.0% in men, and 86.6% and 86.7% in women, respectively. The second question with cut-point of 1 in both gender showed 81.3% and 86.5% in men, respectively and 80.0% and 89.4%, respectively in women. The third question with cut-point of 3 in both gender showed 61.7% and 92.3% in men, respectively and 46.7% and 91.2%, respectively in women. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve of the first question was 0.937 in men and 0.970 in women, for the second question, 0.906 and 0.915, and for the third question, 0.768 and 0.764, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The first question (the largest amount of drinking in a day during the recent 3 months) and the second question (days of drinking 1.5 bottle [1 bottle in women] or more of Soju during the recent 3 months) were considered useful in detecting problem drinkers.

Performance of the AUDIT Alcohol Consumption Questions (AUDIT-C) and AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone in Screening for Problem Drinking / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: In the busy primary care setting, there are several limitations in applying Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test in Korea (AUDIT-K) to screen problem drinking. Thus, for primary healthcare practice, we evaluated AUDIT-C, which covers questions from 1 to 3 in AUDIT-K, and AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone to present cut points for these two screening questionnaire according to AUDIT-K test scores. METHODS: In a university hospital, we surveyed 302 males with a drinking history via self-administered questionnaire including AUDIT-K, from November 2007 to April 2008. On the basis of total score in AUDIT-K, we divided them into four groups: normal, problem drinking, alcohol use disorder, and alcohol dependence. For each alcohol drinking behavior pattern, we drew the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves to present cut points for appropriate sensitivity and specificity. In addition, we compared the performance of AUDIT-C and AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone through area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: For AUDIT-C, we designated the score 8 or more as problem drinking, 9 or more as alcohol use disorder, and 11 or more as dependence. The results of sensitivity/specificity for each group were 82%/76%, 76%/79%, 80%/86%, respectively, which were suitable for screening. For AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone, we defined the score 3 or more as problem drinking or alcohol use disorder and the score 4 as dependence. The results of sensitivity/specificity for each group were 79%/80%, 84%/67%, 85%/77%, which were appropriate for screening. For every drinking behavior group, AUDIT-C was superior to AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone in screening performance (problem drinking: 0.88 vs. respectively 0.85, alcohol use disorder: 0.86 vs. 0.82, alcohol dependence: 0.88 vs. 0.81) CONCLUSION: We confirmed that both AUDIT-C and AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone, which are more convenient and have fewer time con-straints than AUDIT-K, are reasonable screening methods for problem drinking. Thus, we recommend further drinking assessment and proper intervention for male drinkers who have scores 8 or more in AUDIT-C or 3 or more in AUDIT-K Question 3 Alone.

Relationship between the Awareness and Health Behavior in Middle-aged Koreans

BACKGROUND: Despite growing awareness of health behavior, making actual behavioral change seems to be more complex. This study assessed factors influencing discrepancy between the awareness and health behavior in Korean middle-aged people. METHODS: A random-digit-dial telephone survey of 1,047 middle-aged Koreans was carried out in 2004. Through the survey, the agreement between the level of awareness and health behavior was analyzed. And factors related to health-risk behaviors in the group of appropriate awareness were analyzed. RESULTS: In the group of appropriate awareness, males tended to be smokers, problem-drinkers and were not maintaining normal weight. In men, younger age, longer work-hours and more frequent stress were significantly related to both smoking and problem-drinking despite appropriate awareness. Higher income and blue-color working class were also predictors for the problem- drinking. In women, older age, lower education, lower income and comorbid disease were significantly related to abnormal weight. Physical inactivity was significantly related to lower education, longer working hours and lower income. CONCLUSION: This study showed that sociodemographic factors and stress were related with health-risk behavior with appropriate awareness in middle-aged people. These findings are expected to have implications for development of health promotion program focusing on stress management, improvement of sociocultural perception and simultaneous intervention for both smoking and alcohol. For middle-aged Korean women, more efforts must be made to remove economical and sociocultural barriers.

Patient Education for Moderate Drinking

A brief advice by a physician to problem drinkers are known to be very effective in reducing alcohol consumption, health care utilization, motor vehicle events, and its related costs. This article is to provide the definition of moderate drinking and screening methods for alcohol problems in the context of primary care. Various individualized strategies of education can be applied to the patients based on their drinking habits on each visit. Regular programs of group education for problem drinkers and their families are also considered to be useful methods in both ambulatory and hospital settings. From preventive perspectives, public health educations should be focused on the establishment of a culture of moderate drinking in the community.

Level of Problem Drinking, Health Status and Perception of Need for Moderate Drinking by Male Blue-collar Workers in Steel Factory / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the level of problem drinking by male blue-collar workers in light of their health status and their perception of drinking amount. METHOD: A steel factory located in the central region of Korea was chosen and 182 questionnaire responses from male workers were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 11.0 in reference to each worker's physical examination record. RESULTS: According to the criteria set by WHO, 19 workers(10.4%) were found to have 'problem drinking', 81 workers(44.5%) 'alcohol use disorder'and 14 workers(7.7%) 'alcohol dependence'. Only the remaining 68 workers(37.4%) were found to have 'normal drinking'. In relation to the workers'health status by CMI, 'alcohol dependence'scored 62.92, and 'alcohol use disorder'scored 56.53, both of which were far higher than the 'problem drinking'score of 44.52, In particular, it was found that each of the diabetes group(t=2.32, p<.05) and the liverdisease group(t=2.01, p<.05) drank much more than the non-diabetes group or the non-liver-disease group. In terms of the workers'perception of drinking amount, 'alcohol use disorder'and 'alcohol dependence'scored 147.62 and 144.21 respectively, both of which were far higher than the 'problem drinking'score of 138.57. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest the need to educate workers on the necessity and practices of moderate drinking before they enter a state of alcohol use disorder or alcohol dependence. Accordingly, as a part of early management and treatment of the workers'drinking problem, it may well be necessary to activate OAPs (Occupational Alcohol Programs).

The Alcohol Drinking Pattern and the Related Factors in Problem Drinking among Adolescent's Parents in Korea / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the alcohol drinking pattern of parents and to analyze drinking related factors in problem drinking among adolescent's parents. METHOD: This study was conducted through a structured questioning from November 5th to 22th in 2002. Those are 2,522 parents of the students of the 1st and 2nd grade who were selected randomly among 26 middle and high schools located in Socho-gu, Seoul. Data was analyzed using SAS program that included descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULT: 1. For frequency of drinking, 33.1% of the subjects responded to drink two-four times a month, 26.0% drink more than two times a week. 2. For the amount of drinking, 29.6% drink one or two glasses while 9.4% drink over ten glasses at a time. 3. The mean AUDIT score was 8.27+/-7.02(score of range: 0-40). 4. Based on AUDIT score, drinkers with less than eight point from AUDIT(normal group) were 55.1%, from more than eight point to less than twelve point from AUDIT(problematic drinker) were 16.3%, and more than twelve point from AUDIT(alcohol abuse and dependency) were 28.6%. 5. Based on more than twelve point from AUDIT, female(mother), high school and, have religion, housekeeper were the significantly higher score than counter parts. CONCLUSION: Alcohol drinking pattern and level of drinking of their parents links to their children's drinking and results in family, social, and national loss. Active prevention is needed. Specially, pertinent education about drinking and public education for mothers who are housekeepers should be carried out with concentrated intervention programs for the problematic drinker so alcohol abuse and dependency can be reduced.