OBJECTIVE: Alcohol use in the military is prevalent and has short- and long-term health, safety, and career consequences. Although several studies have examined service members' alcohol consumption, few have focused on alcohol use among military spouses. This study assessed factors at individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels to determine associations with risky alcohol use among military spouses. METHOD: Data from baseline and first follow-up of the Millennium Cohort Family Study were used (N = 5,475; 4,923 female) to model spousal self-reported risky drinking (heavy and/or binge drinking) at follow-up. Predictors included demographic characteristics, spousal adverse childhood experiences and mental health, smoking status, marital status, family satisfaction, social support, military stress, and service member military characteristics. Logistic regression models assessed the adjusted associations between spouse and service member characteristics and spousal risky drinking at follow-up. RESULTS: Among spouses in this sample, 19% were risky drinkers at follow-up. Baseline alcohol use status was associated with risky drinking at follow-up. Most spouses (64.2%) did not change their drinking behavior between baseline and follow-up; those who did change were nearly evenly split between an increasing (17.0%) versus decreasing (18.7%) pattern. Risk factors included male gender, cigarette smoking, elevated symptoms of post-traumatic stress, marital separation, and service member deployment with combat. CONCLUSIONS: Although most military spouses were not engaging in risky drinking, one in five were, with about half of these having moved into the risky drinking category over time. Risky alcohol use among spouses has ramifications for themselves, the service member, and the family unit.
OBJECTIVE: Alcohol use in the military is prevalent and has short- and long-term health, safety, and career consequences. Although several studies have examined service members' alcohol consumption, few have focused on alcohol use among military spouses. This study assessed factors at individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels to determine associations with risky alcohol use among military spouses. METHOD: Data from baseline and first follow-up of the Millennium Cohort Family Study were used (N = 5,475; 4,923 female) to model spousal self-reported risky drinking (heavy and/or binge drinking) at follow-up. Predictors included demographic characteristics, spousal adverse childhood experiences and mental health, smoking status, marital status, family satisfaction, social support, military stress, and service member military characteristics. Logistic regression models assessed the adjusted associations between spouse and service member characteristics and spousal risky drinking at follow-up. RESULTS: Among spouses in this sample, 19% were risky drinkers at follow-up. Baseline alcohol use status was associated with risky drinking at follow-up. Most spouses (64.2%) did not change their drinking behavior between baseline and follow-up; those who did change were nearly evenly split between an increasing (17.0%) versus decreasing (18.7%) pattern. Risk factors included male gender, cigarette smoking, elevated symptoms of post-traumatic stress, marital separation, and service member deployment with combat. CONCLUSIONS: Although most military spouses were not engaging in risky drinking, one in five were, with about half of these having moved into the risky drinking category over time. Risky alcohol use among spouses has ramifications for themselves, the service member, and the family unit.
Authors: Margaret A K Ryan; Tyler C Smith; Besa Smith; Paul Amoroso; Edward J Boyko; Gregory C Gray; Gary D Gackstetter; James R Riddle; Timothy S Wells; Gia Gumbs; Thomas E Corbeil; Tomoko I Hooper Journal: J Clin Epidemiol Date: 2006-09-28 Impact factor: 6.437
Authors: Karen Chan Osilla; Eric R Pedersen; Anagha Tolpadi; Stefanie Stern Howard; Jessica L Phillips; Kristie L Gore Journal: J Behav Health Serv Res Date: 2018-01 Impact factor: 1.505
Authors: Alison A Moore; Robert Gould; David B Reuben; Gail A Greendale; M Kallin Carter; Kefei Zhou; Arun Karlamangla Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Daniel W Trone; Teresa M Powell; Lauren M Bauer; Amber D Seelig; Arthur V Peterson; Alyson J Littman; Emily C Williams; Charles C Maynard; Jonathan B Bricker; Edward J Boyko Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2017-09-28 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: R L Spitzer; J B Williams; K Kroenke; M Linzer; F V deGruy; S R Hahn; D Brody; J G Johnson Journal: JAMA Date: 1994-12-14 Impact factor: 56.272