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Loneliness and Increased Hazardous Alcohol Use: Data from a Nationwide Internet Survey with 1-Year Follow-Up

Author

Listed:
  • Mami Wakabayashi

    (Institute for Global Health Policy Research, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1, Toyama Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan)

  • Yoshifumi Sugiyama

    (Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan)

  • Midori Takada

    (Department of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Osaka Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Osaka 536-8588, Japan)

  • Aya Kinjo

    (Division of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Tottori 683-8503, Japan)

  • Hiroyasu Iso

    (Institute for Global Health Policy Research, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1, Toyama Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan)

  • Takahiro Tabuchi

    (Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka 541-8567, Japan
    The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, Tokyo 106-6234, Japan)

Abstract

We aimed to examine the association between loneliness and developing alcohol dependence or hazardous alcohol use. A cohort study was conducted utilizing data from a nationwide internet survey in 2021 and 2022 in Japan. A total of 15,854 follow-up participants (55% men, with a mean age of 52.8 years) were divided based on AUDIT scores: nondrinkers (AUDIT: 0), low-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 1–7), medium-risk drinkers (AUD: 8–14), high-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 15–19), and probable alcohol dependence (AUDIT: 20–40). The University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (Version 3), a short-form three-item scale, was used to assess loneliness (high loneliness score of ≥6). The prevalence of high loneliness was higher in nondrinkers than that in low- and medium-risk drinkers, i.e., 22%, 18%, and 17%, respectively, as well as in high-risk drinkers (32%) and those with probable alcohol dependence (43%) compared to non-high-risk drinkers (19%). After adjusting for various factors (sociodemographic, social isolation, psychological distress, and smoking), non-high-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 0–14) with high loneliness were more likely to become high-or-over-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 15–40) than those without high loneliness, with adjusted risk ratios of 1.45 (95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.96) through multivariable binary logistic regression. Among non-high-risk drinkers, people with high loneliness scores at baseline were associated with increased high-risk drinking patterns with probable alcohol dependence.

Suggested Citation

  • Mami Wakabayashi & Yoshifumi Sugiyama & Midori Takada & Aya Kinjo & Hiroyasu Iso & Takahiro Tabuchi, 2022. "Loneliness and Increased Hazardous Alcohol Use: Data from a Nationwide Internet Survey with 1-Year Follow-Up," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12086-:d:924058
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Åkerlind, Ingemar & Hörnquist, Jan Olof, 1992. "Loneliness and alcohol abuse: A review of evidences of an interplay," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 405-414, February.
    2. Debanjan Banerjee & Mayank Rai, 2020. "Social isolation in Covid-19: The impact of loneliness," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(6), pages 525-527, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rio Sasaki & Atsuhiko Ota & Hiroshi Yatsuya & Takahiro Tabuchi, 2022. "Gender Difference in Fear and Anxiety about and Perceived Susceptibility to COVID-19 in the Third Wave of Pandemic among the Japanese General Population: A Nationwide Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Masaaki Matsunaga & Yuanying Li & Yupeng He & Taro Kishi & Shinichi Tanihara & Nakao Iwata & Takahiro Tabuchi & Atsuhiko Ota, 2023. "Physical, Psychiatric, and Social Comorbidities of Individuals with Schizophrenia Living in the Community in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-20, February.

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