Effect of the Genotypes of ALDH II and the Ways of Coping with Stress on the Alcohol Use in Freshmen of a University

Lee, Kyu Young; Lee, Sang Ick; Suh, Tongwoo

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The authors investigated the genotypes of ALDH II and the ways of coping with stress affecting the alcohol use of university freshmen to see the differences associated with the alcohol use according to genotype.
METHODS
Five hundred fifty one Chungbuk National University freshmen were investigated on the amount of alcohol consumption per episode, the frequency of alcohol use, and the ways of coping with stress by using a self-questionnaires. Their blood samples were also analysed for their ALDH II genotypes by PCR-RFLP method. The degree of alcohol use was calculated by integrating the amount and the frequency of alcohol use, was assessed according to ALDH II genotype, sex, the ways of coping with stress associated. Collected data was analysed by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis according to genotype and sex.
RESULTS
There was a significant difference of the amount of alcohol use per episode according to ALDH II genotype. But there was no difference of the frequency of alcohol use according to ALDH II genotype. Subjects with ND and DD genotype showed significantly lower degree of alcohol use than NN genotype. Women showed significantly lower amount, frequency and degree of alcohol use than men. Active coping, emotional expression, religious seeking, and support seeking for problem solving were associated with the degree of alcohol use in the group with D allele. Religious coping and fatalism were associated with the degree of alcohol use in women.
CONCLUSION
There are significant differences of the degree of alcohol use and the ways of coping to stress according to sex and ALDH II genotype.