Liberal alcohol legislation: does it amplify the effects among Swiss men of person-related risk factors on heavy alcohol use?

Abstract

AIM:

To estimate the statistical interactions between alcohol policy strength and the person-related risk factors of sensation-seeking, antisocial personality disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder related to heavy alcohol use.

DESIGN:

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING:

Young Swiss men living within 21 jurisdictions across Switzerland.

PARTICIPANTS:

A total of 5701 Swiss men (mean age 20 years) participating in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF).

MEASUREMENTS:

Outcome measures were alcohol use disorder (AUD) as defined in the DSM-5 and risky single-occasion drinking (RSOD). Independent variables were sensation-seeking, antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and an index of alcohol policy strength.

FINDINGS:

Alcohol policy strength was protective against RSOD [odds ratio (OR) = 0.91 (0.84-0.99)], while sensation-seeking and ASPD were risk factors for both RSOD [OR = 1.90 (1.77-2.04); OR = 1.69 (1.44-1.97)] and AUD [OR = 1.58 (1.47-1.71); OR = 2.69 (2.30-3.14)] and ADHD was a risk factor for AUD [OR = 1.08 (1.06-1.10)]. Significant interactions between alcohol policy strength and sensation-seeking were identified for RSOD [OR = 1.06 (1.01-1.12)] and AUD [OR = 1.06 (1.01-1.12)], as well as between alcohol policy strength and ASPD for both RSOD [OR = 1.17 (1.03-1.31)] and AUD [OR = 1.15 (1.02-1.29)]. These interactions indicated that the protective effects of alcohol policy strength on RSOD and AUD were lost in men with high levels of sensation-seeking or an ASPD. No interactions were detected between alcohol policy strength and ADHD.

CONCLUSION:

Stronger alcohol legislation protects against heavy alcohol use in young Swiss men, but this protective effect is lost in individuals with high levels of sensation-seeking or having an antisocial personality disorder.

• Authors: Simon Foster, Leonhard Held, Natalia Estévez, Gerhard Gmel, Meichun Mohler-Kuo
• Journal: Addiction (Abingdon, England) (Addiction) Vol. 110 Issue 11 Pg. 1746-56 (Nov 2015) ISSN: 1360-0443 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 26219733 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Topics

• Alcohol Drinking (epidemiology, legislation & jurisprudence)
• Alcohol-Related Disorders (epidemiology)
• Alcoholism (epidemiology)
• Antisocial Personality Disorder (epidemiology)
• Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (epidemiology)
• Binge Drinking (epidemiology)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Politics
• Public Policy
• Risk Factors
• Switzerland (epidemiology)
• Young Adult