Cadigan Jennifer M, Klanecky Alicia K, Martens Matthew P
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, USA.
Psychology Department, Creighton University, USA.
Addict Behav. 2017 Jul;70:54-60. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.02.009. Epub 2017 Feb 9.
Compared to the general population, veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF) are more likely to engage in hazardous alcohol use and meet criteria for mental health disorders including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder. Less is known how distinct profiles of alcohol use behavior relate to mental health symptoms.
The current study examined the extent that indicators of alcohol use (i.e., drinks per week, peak blood alcohol concentration, and alcohol-related problems) are categorized into different alcohol risk profiles utilizing a person-centered approach. We also examined how mental health symptoms (i.e., PTSD, depression, and anxiety-related symptoms) were associated with the alcohol risk profiles. Participants were 252 Veterans who reported consuming alcohol within the past month.
Latent profile analysis indicated a four-class solution yielded the best-fitting model, and profiles were named based on their respective levels and patterns of alcohol use. Mental health symptoms were significantly different among the four profiles. Profiles of veterans who endorsed more alcohol-related problems (i.e., the "Severe alcohol behavior" and "Steady drinkers with functional impairment") also reported comorbid clinical symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The "Binge drinkers with no functional impairment" and "Mild alcohol behavior" profiles reported the lowest levels of mental health symptoms.
Findings highlight the unique relationship between distinct alcohol risk profiles and mental health outcomes. Targeted interventions and treatment options based on unique alcohol risk profiles may be helpful in tailoring prevention and intervention efforts in detecting co-occurring mental health symptoms among OEF/OIF veterans.
与普通人群相比，阿富汗和伊拉克战争退伍军人（OEF/OIF）更有可能进行危险饮酒，并符合心理健康障碍的标准，包括创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）和重度抑郁症。关于不同饮酒行为模式与心理健康症状之间的关系，我们了解得较少。
本研究采用以人为中心的方法，考察了饮酒指标（即每周饮酒量、血液酒精浓度峰值和与酒精相关的问题）被分类为不同酒精风险模式的程度。我们还研究了心理健康症状（即PTSD、抑郁症和焦虑相关症状）与酒精风险模式之间的关联。参与者为252名在过去一个月内报告饮酒的退伍军人。
潜在类别分析表明，四类解决方案产生了最佳拟合模型，类别根据各自的酒精使用水平和模式命名。四类模式中的心理健康症状存在显著差异。认可更多与酒精相关问题的退伍军人模式（即“严重酒精行为”和“有功能障碍的稳定饮酒者”）也报告了PTSD、抑郁症和焦虑症的共病临床症状。“无功能障碍的暴饮者”和“轻度酒精行为”模式报告的心理健康症状水平最低。
研究结果突出了不同酒精风险模式与心理健康结果之间的独特关系。基于独特酒精风险模式的有针对性的干预措施和治疗选择，可能有助于在检测OEF/OIF退伍军人共病心理健康症状时，定制预防和干预工作。
