Korean J Fam Pract.  2021 Feb;11(1):67-73. 10.21215/kjfp.2021.11.1.67.

Effects of Familial Alcohol Consumption on Alcohol Use Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress of University Students

• Ryu KY
• Park KW
• Kim MS
• Lee HJ
• Paek sy
• Park WJ
• Oh MK

• KMID: 2513130
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2021.11.1.67

Abstract

Background
Alcohol use disorder in early adulthood can be associated with psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress. This study aimed to investigate the effect of familial alcohol consumption on alcohol use disorders and psychological problems in university students.
Methods
A total of 1,256 students (800 men, 456 women) in Gangneung were surveyed, and their depression, anxiety, stress, and familial alcohol consumption (binge-drinking and drinking frequency) were investigated. Familial alcohol consumption was based on the person who drinks the most alcohol in the family. We analyzed the effect of familial alcohol consumption using SPSS statistical software.
Results
The rate of alcohol use disorder increased from 36% in the group with weekly alcohol consumption less than 6 drinks to 48.1% in the group with more than 14 drinks in men and from 47.6% to 67.7% in women (P<0.05). The more the family binge, the more the alcohol use disorder increase significantly in both men and women, and the more frequent the family drinks, the more the alcohol use disorder increase in women than in men (P<0.05). Drinking frequency rather than binge-drinking affects more on anxiety in men and on depression, anxiety, and stress in women (P<0.05).
Conclusion
This study suggests that alcohol use disorder in university students increased proportionally according to total familial alcohol consumption and binge-drinking in both men and women. The psychological effect of familial drinking habits was greater in women than in men, and drinking frequency rather than binge-drinking was more prevalent, particularly in women.

Keyword

Family; Alcohol Drinking; Alcohol Use Disorder; Depression; Anxiety; Psychological Stress