A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Frequent Alcohol Intoxication and High Alcohol Tolerance During Adolescence as Predictors of Mortality: A Birth Cohort Study




AuthorsJonna Levola, Marian Sarala, Antti Mustonen, Richard J. Rose, Jouko Miettunen, Anni-Emilia Niemelä, Solja Niemelä

PublisherELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Publication year2020

JournalJournal of Adolescent Health

Journal name in sourceJOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH

Journal acronymJ ADOLESCENT HEALTH

Volume67

Issue5

First page 692

Last page699

Number of pages8

ISSN1054-139X

eISSN1879-1972

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.034


Abstract
Purpose: Long-term prospective studies evaluating the health burden that is consequent to adolescent drinking are needed. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive associations between self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequent intoxication at age 15-16 years and the risk of death by age 33 years.Methods: A sample (n = 6,615; 49.3% males) of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study 1986 was studied. Self-reported alcohol tolerance (drinks needed to feel intoxicated) and frequency of alcohol intoxication at age 15-16 years were analyzed along with background variables and data regarding subsequent psychiatric diagnoses. Categories were formed for both predictive variables from self-reported tolerance and frequency of intoxication in mid-adolescence. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for death by age 30 years.Results: By the age of 33 years, of all 6,615 participants, 53 (.8%) were deceased. The HR for death by age 33 years was 3.08 (95% CI 1.17-8.07) among adolescents with high alcohol tolerance compared with adolescents without alcohol use or intoxication. The frequency of alcohol intoxication was also associated with mortality; HR 2.05 (95% CI 1.01-4.16) for those who had been intoxicated one to two times and HR 3.02 (95% CI 1.21-7.54) for those who had been intoxicated three or more times in the past 30 days compared with adolescents without intoxication.Conclusions: High self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequent alcohol intoxication during mid-adolescence significantly predicted death by age 33 years. These behaviors carry long-term repercussions with respect to premature loss of life. Substantial efforts should be made to diminish this mortality risk. (C) 2020 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.



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