Gender differences in the relationship between alcohol use patterns and health-related quality of life in a population experiencing a recent surge in harmful alcohol use among females: the 2018 National survey in Taiwan.
Journal
Quality of Life Research
Journal Volume
35
Journal Issue
1
Start Page
Article Number 18
ISSN
1573-2649
Date Issued
2025-12-29
Author(s)
Chen, Tzu-Yu
Wu, Shang-Chi
Chang, Shu-Sen
Chen, Chuan-Yu
Kuo, Po-Hsiu
Lin, Hsiang-Wen
Hsiao, Po-Chang
Ting, Te-Tien
Yen, Cheng-Fang
Li, Chung-Yi
Yang, Hao-Jan
Yen, Chia-Feng
Tu, Yu-Kang
Chen, Wei J
Abstract
Heavy or harmful alcohol use is associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but whether moderate or low-risk alcohol use is associated with better HRQoL than abstinence remains controversial. This study examined a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18–64 in Taiwan and found that most people were abstainers, followed by low-risk drinkers, former drinkers, and harmful drinkers. Among the three patterns of alcohol use, only low-risk drinking was associated with limited benefits in terms of decreased risks of problems with mobility and usual activities.All former drinkers, low-risk drinkers, and harmful drinkers, compared with abstainers, were associated with greater risks of experiencing pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression, with the latter moderated by gender, resulting in an even greater risk among female drinkers than males. Given the recent increasing trend of harmful alcohol use among females in many parts of the world, there is an increased burden of alcohol-related anxiety/depression among female drinkers. Increasing awareness of alcohol-related anxiety/depression, particularly among women, might be critical to global efforts to reduce harmful alcohol use.
Subjects
Alcohol use
Anxiety
Depression
EQ-5D-5L
Gender differences
Health-related quality of life
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Type
journal article