Posters
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Alcohol is a commonly consumed substance and has been widely studied to negatively affect mental health. Alcohol misuse and depression often coexist as comorbid conditions. The presence of one can exacerbate the other, creating a cyclic pattern that may be challenging to break. Understanding the relationship between alcohol usage and depression may guide researchers and healthcare professionals towards prevention efforts and treatment strategies to increase the chances of achieving long-term wellness and improved mental wellbeing in our community.
Objective: To examine the association of alcohol use and depressive disorders in a randomly sampled adult population in Texas.
Methods: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the largest national telephone-based survey system in the United States. The system contains de-identified public data of randomly sampled individuals. From 2019 to 2021, cross-sectional data were collected and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models from 13,568 participants in Texas. P-values < .05 were statistically significant. Analysis was performed to determine the relationship between alcohol use and other variables and self-reported diagnoses of depressive disorders: major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or minor depression. These variables include demographic information and factors related to social determinants of health.
Results: From 2019-2021, 13,568 participants’ responses were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Compared to those who reported drinking no alcoholic beverages per week, participants who drank more than 1 alcoholic beverage per week had increased odds of reporting being diagnosed with a depressive disorder; however, the association was not significant: up to 7 drinks (OR 1.33, p-value 0.55), up to 14 drinks (OR 1.32, p-value 0.58), 14 or more drinks (OR 1.38, p-value 0.54). There were significantly increased odds for those who reported drinking 5+ drinks for men or 4+ drinks for women on an occasion 5 times or more, in the past 30 days, to report being diagnosed with a depressive disorder (OR 1.53, p-value 0.01). Relative to white, non-Hispanics and those underweight (BMI < 18.5), other racial groups and those with normal and overweight BMIs (BMI 18.5 – 29.9) had significantly decreased odds of reporting a depressive disorder. Age groups less than 65 (18-24: OR 2.99, p-value < .0001; 25-44: OR 2.25, p-value <.0001, 45-64: OR 1.73, p-value .0003) and participants out of work for over a year (OR 2.83, p-value < .0001) or unable to work (OR 8.61, p-value .0001) had the highest odds of reporting a form of depression.
Conclusions: These findings substantiate the need for greater efforts to aid those under the age of 65, specifically with seeking employment and initiatives to decrease heavy alcohol use (defined as 5+ drinks for men or 4+ drinks for women) to decrease the prevalence of depressive disorders in Texas.
Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Recommended Citation
Govindji, Shiv, "Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to Determine the Association of Alcohol Use and Depressive Disorders in Texas, 2019-2021" (2024). Research Symposium. 89.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2023/posters/89
Included in
Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to Determine the Association of Alcohol Use and Depressive Disorders in Texas, 2019-2021
Background: Alcohol is a commonly consumed substance and has been widely studied to negatively affect mental health. Alcohol misuse and depression often coexist as comorbid conditions. The presence of one can exacerbate the other, creating a cyclic pattern that may be challenging to break. Understanding the relationship between alcohol usage and depression may guide researchers and healthcare professionals towards prevention efforts and treatment strategies to increase the chances of achieving long-term wellness and improved mental wellbeing in our community.
Objective: To examine the association of alcohol use and depressive disorders in a randomly sampled adult population in Texas.
Methods: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the largest national telephone-based survey system in the United States. The system contains de-identified public data of randomly sampled individuals. From 2019 to 2021, cross-sectional data were collected and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models from 13,568 participants in Texas. P-values < .05 were statistically significant. Analysis was performed to determine the relationship between alcohol use and other variables and self-reported diagnoses of depressive disorders: major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or minor depression. These variables include demographic information and factors related to social determinants of health.
Results: From 2019-2021, 13,568 participants’ responses were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Compared to those who reported drinking no alcoholic beverages per week, participants who drank more than 1 alcoholic beverage per week had increased odds of reporting being diagnosed with a depressive disorder; however, the association was not significant: up to 7 drinks (OR 1.33, p-value 0.55), up to 14 drinks (OR 1.32, p-value 0.58), 14 or more drinks (OR 1.38, p-value 0.54). There were significantly increased odds for those who reported drinking 5+ drinks for men or 4+ drinks for women on an occasion 5 times or more, in the past 30 days, to report being diagnosed with a depressive disorder (OR 1.53, p-value 0.01). Relative to white, non-Hispanics and those underweight (BMI < 18.5), other racial groups and those with normal and overweight BMIs (BMI 18.5 – 29.9) had significantly decreased odds of reporting a depressive disorder. Age groups less than 65 (18-24: OR 2.99, p-value < .0001; 25-44: OR 2.25, p-value <.0001, 45-64: OR 1.73, p-value .0003) and participants out of work for over a year (OR 2.83, p-value < .0001) or unable to work (OR 8.61, p-value .0001) had the highest odds of reporting a form of depression.
Conclusions: These findings substantiate the need for greater efforts to aid those under the age of 65, specifically with seeking employment and initiatives to decrease heavy alcohol use (defined as 5+ drinks for men or 4+ drinks for women) to decrease the prevalence of depressive disorders in Texas.