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Author: Mewton, Louise
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Visontay, Rachel
Mewton, Louise
Slade, Tim
Aris, Izzuddin M.
Sunderland, Matthew
Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Depression: A Marginal Structural Model Approach Promoting Causal Inference
American Journal of Psychiatry published online (18 Jan 2023): DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.22010043.
Also: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.22010043
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: American Psychiatric Association
Keyword(s): Alcohol Use; Depression (see also CESD); Modeling, Marginal Structural

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Objective: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with decreased risk for depression, but it remains unclear whether this is a causal relationship or a methodological artifact. To compare the effects of consistent abstinence and occasional, moderate, and above-guideline alcohol consumption throughout early to middle adulthood on depression at age 50, the authors conducted a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort and employed a marginal structural model (MSM) approach.

Methods: Baseline was set at 1994, when individuals were ages 29-37. The MSM incorporated measurements of alcohol consumption in 1994, 2002, and 2006, baseline and time-varying covariates, and repeated measurements with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form (CES-D-SF). A total of 5,667 eligible participants provided valid data at baseline, 3,593 of whom provided valid outcome data. The authors used all observed data to predict CES-D-SF means and rates of probable depression for hypothetical trajectories of consistent alcohol consumption.

Results: The results approximated J-curve relationships. Specifically, both consistent occasional and consistent moderate drinkers were predicted to have reduced CES-D-SF scores and rates of probable depression at age 50 compared with consistent abstainers (CES-D-SF scores: b=−0.84, 95% CI=−1.47, −0.11; probable depression: odds ratio=0.58, 95% CI=0.36, 0.88 for consistent occasional drinkers vs. abstainers; CES-D-SF scores: b=−1.08, 95% CI=−1.88, −0.20; probable depression: odds ratio=0.59, 95% CI=0.26, 1.13 for consistent moderate drinkers vs. consistent abstainers). Consistent above-guideline drinkers were predicted to have slightly increased risk compared with consistent abstainers, but this was not significant. In sex-stratified analyses, results were similar for females and males.

Bibliography Citation
Visontay, Rachel, Louise Mewton, Tim Slade, Izzuddin M. Aris and Matthew Sunderland. "Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Depression: A Marginal Structural Model Approach Promoting Causal Inference." American Journal of Psychiatry published online (18 Jan 2023): DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.22010043.