Gender differences in drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems in a community sample in São Paulo, Brazil

Authors

  • Camila Magalhães Silveira Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Department and Institute of Psychiatry
  • Erica Rosanna Siu Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Department and Institute of Psychiatry
  • Yuan-Pang Wang UNISA; Santo Amaro Medical School; Department of Psychiatry
  • Maria Carmen Viana Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Department and Institute of Psychiatry
  • Arthur Guerra de Andrade Faculdade de Medicina do ABC; Department of Psychiatry
  • Laura Helena Andrade Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Department and Institute of Psychiatry

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(03)01

Keywords:

Alcohol, Heavy episodic drinking, Binge drinking, Epidemiology, Brazil

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate drinking patterns and gender differences in alcohol-related problems in a Brazilian population, with an emphasis on the frequency of heavy drinking. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a probability adult household sample (n = 1,464) in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Alcohol intake and ICD-10 psychopathology diagnoses were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 1.1. The analyses focused on the prevalence and determinants of 12-month nonheavy drinking, heavy episodic drinking (4-5 drinks per occasion), and heavy and frequent drinking (heavy drinking at least 3 times/week), as well as associated alcohol-related problems according to drinking patterns and gender. RESULTS: Nearly 22% (32.4% women, 8.7% men) of the subjects were lifetime abstainers, 60.3% were non-heavy drinkers, and 17.5% reported heavy drinking in a 12-month period (26.3% men, 10.9% women). Subjects with the highest frequency of heavy drinking reported the most problems. Among subjects who did not engage in heavy drinking, men reported more problems than did women. A gender convergence in the amount of problems was observed when considering heavy drinking patterns. Heavy and frequent drinkers were twice as likely as abstainers to present lifetime depressive disorders. Lifetime nicotine dependence was associated with all drinking patterns. Heavy and frequent drinking was not restricted to young ages. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy and frequent episodic drinking was strongly associated with problems in a community sample from the largest city in Latin America. Prevention policies should target this drinking pattern, independent of age or gender. These findings warrant continued research on risky drinking behavior, particularly among persistent heavy drinkers at the non-dependent level.

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Published

2012-01-01

Issue

Section

Clinical Sciences

How to Cite

Silveira, C. M., Siu, E. R., Wang, Y.-P., Viana, M. C., Andrade, A. G. de, & Andrade, L. H. (2012). Gender differences in drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems in a community sample in São Paulo, Brazil. Clinics, 67(3), 205-212. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(03)01