Binge alcohol and substance use across birth cohorts and the global financial crisis in the United States

Abstract

BackgroundThe social and economic consequences of the global financial crisis (GFC) of 2007–9 has had serious impacts on population health, economic prospects, and overall wellbeing in all generations, particularly Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. The ways in which intergenerational inequality and global economic crises have affected population health, particularly with respect to excessive drinking and substance use in disadvantaged population groups has been understudied. Consequently, in this article, we seek to characterise the effects of the GFC on national trends in binge alcohol and substance use among Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. By doing so, we aim to contribute to a fuller understanding of the ways in which socioeconomic disadvantage engendered by the GFC has disparately affected the wellbeing of these generational cohorts.Methods and findingsWe present results from National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2007–16 to characterise binge alcohol and substance use among different generational cohorts in the United States during and after the GFC. Bivariate descriptive analysis and maximum-likelihood logit regressions focused on: (a) individual substances and binge drinking, (b) poly-use and (c) any use to simultaneously model how socioeconomic, demographic, and health characteristics were related to past-month substance use and to report the social, economic, and demographic correlates of substance use. Socioeconomic vulnerability was captured on a five-point scale comprised of: (1) health insurance status, (2) government assistance, (3) income, (4) self rated health, and (5) employment status. Millennials showed generally higher risk of binge alcohol and substance use during 2007–16 than Generation X, while Baby Boomers generally exhibited lower risk. Comparison of individual and poly-use patterns for the birth cohorts before and after reveals: Millennials were at significantly increased risk of use of binge alcohol (AOR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.46–1.56), cocaine (AOR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.03–1.37), heroin (AOR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.01–1.91), and oxycontin (AOR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.74–3.12) than Gen X while Baby Boomers were at significantly reduced risk of all substances. Nevertheless, Millennials were at significantly reduced risk of crack use (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.25–0.43) and poly-use (AOR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.45–0.70) compared to Gen X. These differences may be related to measures of austerity and socioeconomic vulnerability. Millennials exhibited the highest vulnerability related to austerity with an average vulnerability score of 0.97 (95% CI = 0.96–0.98) while Baby Boomers exhibited the lowest average vulnerability score of 0.65 (95% CI = 0.64–0.66) with Generation X in between with 0.72 (95% CI = 0.71–0.73). Increased social and economic vulnerability after the 2007 crisis is strongly associated with higher rates of substance use in all generations.ConclusionMillennials have been especially affected by socioeconomic changes associated with the GFC as reflected by their heightened...

Lifetime prevalence of novel psychoactive substances use among adults in the USA: Sociodemographic, mental health and illicit drug use correlates. Evidence from a population-based survey 2007–2014

“…Second, the use of self-reported substance use as an outcome variable may have led to significant levels of mis/underreporting due to the diversity of substances currently available in the drug market (some of whom may have not been reported at all), the variety of nomenclatures associated with them, and the lack of awareness among respondents of the actual chemical composition of the substances they used. Furthermore, the design of the NSDUH as a household survey does not permit sampling of homeless or institutionalized persons, who show specific patterns of problematic drug use [ 56 , 57 ]. Finally, the use of a repeated, cross-sectional survey provides data about how NPS use has changed over time at a societal level.…”

Heavy and binge alcohol drinking and parenting status in the United States from 2006 to 2018: An analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional surveys

“…We included control variables for race and socioeconomic status (SES), given that they are associated with alcohol consumption [55] and SES distributions may have changed over time (e.g., after the 2007–2009 economic recession) [56], as well as by child-rearing status.…”

Substance Use Disorders and COVID-19: Multi-Faceted Problems Which Require Multi-Pronged Solutions

“…An analysis of economic changes in 26 European Union (EU) countries over three decades showed that increases in unemployment were associated with a 28% increase in mortality from SUD and a 4.5% increase in suicide (34). During the 2008-2010 financial crisis socioeconomic vulnerability among millennials (compared to older generations) was associated with increased alcohol and drug use disorders in the US (35).…”