Exploring the Non-Linear Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Depression in an Elderly Population in Gangneung: The Gangneung Health Study

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine a J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and depression among the elderly in South Korea.Materials and MethodsCross-section data were drawn from a community-based sample of individuals 60 years of age and older (n=1819). Respondents completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Intensification Test (AUDIT) and the Korean Beck Depression Inventory. Using a regression approach, the effect of alcohol consumption as a non-linear effect was assessed in relation to gender, marital status, exercise, smoking, age, education, and physical and mental health.ResultsAUDIT total score were found to exert linear and quadratic effects that were significantly associated with higher depression scores among sample respondents. The results lend support to a J-shaped relationship between alcohol use and depression, wherein abstainers and problem drinkers were at a higher risk of depression.ConclusionThis study confirms a J-shaped (i.e., curvilinear) relationship between alcohol consumption and depression among elderly South Koreans, similar to that frequently found in studies of Western-based samples. The findings of this study, therefore, imply the applicability of the J-shaped relationship hypothesis for non-Western society samples and within different cultural contexts.

Alcohol use, depression, and life satisfaction among older persons in Jamaica

“…Past research has suggested that persons at the extremes of alcohol use (abstinence and heavy use) have higher rates of depression than persons who drink alcohol in moderation (Alati et al, 2005;Graham et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2015). These findings tend to yield a J-shaped curve when depression severity is plotted against alcohol use on a graph and has been found in diverse agegroups and settings (Alati et al, 2005;Graham et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2015). The current study did not explore the intensity of alcohol use beyond the categories of "current use" and "no current use."…”

“…Various types of relationships between alcohol use and depression have previously been described including even a lack of any association (Osborn et al, 2003) in a study of older persons. More commonly described is the phenomenon of the use of alcohol as a self-medicating strategy by persons who are depressed (Bolton et al, 2009) as well as a nonlinear relationship between depression severity and alcohol consumption (Alati et al, 2005;Graham et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2015). Knowledge of the nature of the relationship between alcohol use and depression among older persons of the English-speaking Caribbean could contribute to a better appreciation overall of the complex issues that underlie alcohol use among members of this population.…”

Association between eating alone and depressive symptom in elders: a cross-sectional study

“…marriage and number of children) [ 27 – 30 ], health behaviours (e.g. physical activity, drinking and smoking,) [ 28 , 31 , 32 ], medical conditions [ 19 , 20 , 23 , 25 , 33 ], living alone [ 9 , 23 , 34 ] and limitation in activity of living [ 35 ] were found to be related to depressive symptom/depression in previous literatures. Therefore, we introduced relevant data in our analysis and treated the following variables as covariates, which were gender, age, education, employment status, perception of economic status, marriage, having a child, smoking, drinking, physical activity, underlying conditions, limitation in activity of daily living and living alone.…”

Satisfaction With Life, Mental Health Problems and Potential Alcohol-Related Problems Among Norwegian University Students

“…Skogen et al ( 33 ) found neither a U -shaped nor a J -shaped relation between alcohol use and mental health problems among adolescents, which indicate the existence of other forms of associations across different age groups. It is unclear if a non-linear association can be identified across all age groups ( 23 ), and an examination of the association among university and college students is warranted as it may have practical implications for the development of more tailored interventions aimed at reducing alcohol use among students.…”