The ad-libitum taste test as measure of momentary alcohol use in the laboratory: an investigation of construct validity and confounding factors.

RATIONALE: The ad-libitum taste test is a widely used covert measure of motivation to consume alcohol in the laboratory. However, studies on its construct validity and potential confounding factors are scarce. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the construct validity of the ad-libitum taste test by examining the association of ad-libitum alcohol consumption with typical alcohol use and craving, and investigating potential moderation by trait anxiety, depressiveness, current mood, and drinking motives. METHODS: A sample of 264 young male individuals were offered two 0.33 l glasses of beer. Participants were instructed to rate the characteristics of each drink, while the percentage of beverages containing alcohol consumed was assessed. Associations of ad-libitum consumption with typical alcohol use and craving were assessed using non-parametric and piecewise regressions. Moreover, moderator analysis with trait anxiety, depressiveness, current mood, and drinking motives was carried out. RESULTS: Ad-libitum alcohol consumption was associated with typical alcohol use and alcohol craving. However, these associations decreased at high consumption levels. Associations between ad-libitum consumption, typical alcohol use, and craving were stable across several conditions, except that the association between ad-libitum consumption and craving increased with higher social, conformity, and coping drinking motives. CONCLUSIONS: The ad-libitum taste test appears to be a valid measure of the motivation to drink alcohol in laboratory studies in young male adults, although this validity might be compromised at high levels of ad-libitum consumption. Consideration of these factors can contribute to further refining the ad-libitum taste test as a valuable tool for assessing motivation to consume alcohol in laboratory studies.

Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in regular and risky drinkers (MESA): methods and design of a randomized laboratory study.

BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders (AUD) are among the leading preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality and are considered a major public health concern. In order to reduce the individual and societal burden of excessive alcohol use, it is crucial to identify high-risk individuals at earlier stages and to provide effective interventions to prevent further progression. Stressful experiences are important risk factors for excessive alcohol consumption and AUDs. However, the underlying biological and psychological mechanisms are still poorly understood. METHODS: The project "Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in regular and risky drinkers (MESA)" is a randomized controlled study that started in December 2018 and is conducted in a laboratory setting, which aims to identify moderators and mediators of the relationship between acute stress and alcohol consumption among regular and risky drinkers. Regular and risky drinkers are randomly assigned to a stress induction or a control condition. Several processes that may mediate (emotional distress, endocrine and autonomic stress reactivity, impulsivity, inhibitory control, motivational sensitization) or moderate (trait impulsivity, childhood maltreatment, basal HPA-axis activity) the relation between stress and alcohol consumption are investigated. As primary dependent variable, the motivation to consume alcohol following psychosocial stress is measured. DISCUSSION: The results of this study could help to provide valuable targets for future research on tailored interventions to prevent stress-related alcohol consumption.

Mental health in people with minority sexual orientations: A meta-analysis of population-based studies.

AIMS: To conduct a meta-analysis of population-based studies to quantify the association between sexual minority status (lesbian women, gay men, and bisexual people) and the risk of common mental disorders (depressive disorders, alcohol use disorders (AUD), anxiety disorders, and suicidality). METHOD: PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library Database, the Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, and ProQuest were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 and May 2020. The PRISMA guidelines were followed for selection processes. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria which included a total of 519,414 heterosexuals, 10,178 lesbian/gay people and 14,410 bisexual people. RESULTS: Lesbian/gay people (ORs between 1.97, 95% [CI = 1.76, 2.19] and 2.89, 95% [CI = 2.41,3.38]) and bisexual people (ORs between 2.70; 95% [CI = 2.21,3.18], and 4.81; 95% [CI = 3.63, 5.99]) had a higher risk for mental disorders than heterosexuals for all investigated diagnostic categories. The risk for depression (OR = 2.70; 95% [CI = 2.21, 3.18]) and suicidality (OR = 4.81; 95% [CI = 3.63, 5.99]) was higher in bisexual compared with lesbian/gay people. Exploratory meta-regressions revealed no evidence for a decrease in mental health differences between people with minority sexual orientations and heterosexuals in more recent years of data assessment, except for AUD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings clearly suggest disparities in mental health between people with minority sexual orientations and heterosexual people. There is a lack of data regarding a wider spectrum of sexual orientations and mental disorders and studies in non-Western countries.

Assessment of patient-reported outcomes after polytrauma - instruments and methods: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: We (1) collected instruments that assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL), activities of daily living (ADL) and social participation during follow-up after polytrauma, (2) described their use and (3) investigated other relevant patient-reported outcomes (PROs) assessed in the studies. DESIGN: Systematic Review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guideline. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, as well as the trials registers ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO ICTRP were searched from January 2005 to April 2018. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: All original empirical research published in English or German including PROs of patients aged 18-75 years with an Injury Severity Score≥16 and/or an Abbreviated Injury Scale≥3. Studies with defined injuries or diseases (e.g. low-energy injuries) and some text types (e.g. grey literature and books) were excluded. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were excluded, but references screened for appropriate studies. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data extraction, narrative content analysis and a critical appraisal (e.g. UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) were performed by two reviewers independently. RESULTS: The search yielded 3496 hits; 54 publications were included. Predominantly, HRQoL was assessed, with Short Form-36 Health Survey applied most frequently. ADL and (social) participation were rarely assessed. The methods most used were postal surveys and single assessments of PROs, with a follow-up period of one to one and a half years. Other relevant PRO areas reported were function, mental disorders and pain. CONCLUSIONS: There is a large variation in the assessment of PROs after polytrauma, impairing comparability of outcomes. First efforts to standardise the collection of PROs have been initiated, but require further harmonisation between central players. Additional knowledge on rarely reported PRO areas (e.g. (social) participation, social networks) may lead to their consideration in health services provision. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42017060825.

High Depressive Symptoms in Previously Undetected Diabetes - 10-Year Follow-Up Results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study.

AIM: To determine the 10-year cumulative incidence of high depressive symptoms in people with diagnosed and, in particular, previously undetected diabetes compared to those without diabetes in a population-based cohort study in Germany. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 2813 participants (52.9% men, mean age (SD) 58.9 (7.7) years, 7.1% diagnosed diabetes, 5.6% previously undetected diabetes) from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study. We calculated the odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using multiple logistic regression analyses for diagnosed and undetected diabetes. RESULTS: Cumulative 10-year incidences (95%-CI) of high depressive symptoms in participants with diagnosed diabetes, previously undetected diabetes, and without diabetes were 15.4% (10.7-21.2), 10.1% (5.9-15.9), and 12.4% (11.1-13.8), respectively. Age-sex-adjusted ORs were 1.51 (1.01-2.28) in participants with diagnosed diabetes compared to those without, 1.40 (0.92-2.12) after adjustment for BMI, physical activity, education, and smoking, and 1.33 (0.87-2.02) after further adjustment for stroke and myocardial infarction. ORs in participants with previously undetected diabetes were 0.96 (0.56-1.65), 0.85 (0.49-1.47), and 0.85 (0.49-1.48), respectively, and lower in men than in women. CONCLUSION: As expected, we found an increased odds of developing high depressive symptoms in participants with diagnosed diabetes. However, the odds ratios decreased when we considered comorbidities and other covariates. Interestingly, in participants with previously undetected diabetes, the odds was not increased, even 10 years after detection of diabetes. These results support the hypothesis that high depressive symptoms develop due to diabetes-related burdens and comorbidities and not due to hyperglycemia or hyperinsulinemia.