Correlation between Selected Clinical Symptoms and Severity of Aggression, Impulsiveness and Their Selected Behavioral Manifestations in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Phenotype A.

Previous studies on aggressiveness and impulsiveness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are ambiguous. Furthermore, no biochemical or clinical factors related to these variables have been definitively confirmed. The aim of the study was to clarify whether, in women with phenotype A of PCOS, variables such as body mass index and clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism have an impact on either the intensity of impulsivity or aggression or on other selected behavioral manifestations of these variables. The study included 95 patients diagnosed with PCOS phenotype A. The criterion for recruitment into the study group and the control group was body mass index. The study was conducted with the use of a closed-format questionnaire and calibrated clinical scales. Higher body mass index (BMI) values in women with PCOS phenotype A are associated with poor eating habits. The severity of impulsivity and aggression syndrome, as well as the tendency to engage in risky sexual behavior and patterns of alcohol consumption among patients diagnosed with PCOS phenotype A, are not dependent on BMI. The severity of impulsiveness and the syndrome of aggression in women with phenotype A PCOS are not associated with clinical symptoms of hyperandrogenism or with androgen levels.

Substance use disorder and alcohol consumption patterns among Dutch physicians: a nationwide register-based study.

PURPOSE: Problematic substance use and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) are common in all layers of the population. Several studies suggest higher prevalence rates of problematic substance use among physicians compared to the general population, which is harmful for themselves and potentially impairs quality of care. However, nationwide comparison with a highly educated reference group is lacking. Using nationwide register data, this study compared the prevalence of clinical SUD diagnoses and alcohol consumption patterns between physicians and a highly educated reference population. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed using registry data from 2011 up to and including 2019, provided by Statistics Netherlands. From the data, a highly educated reference group was selected and those with an active medical doctor registration were identified as "physicians". Clinical SUD diagnoses were identified by DSM-IV codes in mental healthcare registries. Benchmark analyses were performed, without statistical testing, to compare the prevalence of SUD diagnoses and alcohol consumption patterns between physicians and the reference population. RESULTS: Clinical SUD diagnoses were found among 0.3% of the physicians and 0.5% of the reference population, with higher proportions of sedative use disorder among physician patients. Among drinkers, the prevalence rates of heavy and excessive drinking were respectively 4.0% and 4.3% for physicians and 7.7% and 6.4% for the reference population. CONCLUSION: Prevalence rates of SUD diagnoses were fairly comparable between physicians and the highly educated reference population, but physicians displayed more favorable alcohol consumption patterns. The use of sedatives by physicians might deserve attention, given the relatively higher prevalence of sedative use disorder among physicians. Overall, we observed relatively low prevalence rates of SUD diagnoses and problematic alcohol use, which may reflect a treatment gap and social desirable answers.

Patrones de consumo de alcohol en trabajadores de la termoeléctrica "Antonio Guiteras" de Matanzas

Introducción: El enfrentamiento a los problemas relacionados con el alcohol se puede desarrollar desde múltiples contextos, incluidos los relacionados con la atención a trabajadores en instituciones de generación de energía. Para esto es primordial el diagnóstico de los patrones de consumo, como vía para el desarrollo efectivo de los procesos de intervención. Objetivo: Examinar las características del consumo de alcohol en trabajadores de la termoeléctrica "Antonio Guiteras" de Matanzas. Métodos: Investigación descriptiva, entre septiembre de 2018 y agosto de 2019, en una muestra de 126 trabajadores. Se analizaron los patrones de consumo, los niveles de conocimientos, actitudes afines con la ingestión de bebidas alcohólicas y su relación con algunas variables sociodemográficas. Se aplicó un cuestionario de identificación de los trastornos debidos al consumo de alcohol, así como un cuestionario para la exploración de los conocimientos y las actitudes acerca de dicha ingestión. Resultados: Predominaron los patrones de consumo de bajo riesgo. Los patrones de consumo de riesgo se asociaron al sexo masculino, las personas menores de 40 años y el estado conyugal soltero. Se apreciaron altos niveles de conocimientos sobre la peligrosidad de la ingestión de bebidas alcohólicas y la presencia de actitudes beneficiosas hacia estas. Conclusiones: Los resultados acerca del consumo de alcohol son favorables, pero obligan al desarrollo de nuevas líneas de investigación para el enfrentamiento a las adicciones desde la psicología laboral y de las organizaciones, con técnicas, herramientas y esquemas de intervención propios de la atención primaria de salud o de la psicología de la salud.

Introduction: Coping with alcohol-related problems can be developed from multiple contexts, including those related to care for workers in power generation institutions. Thus, the diagnosis of consumption patterns is essential, as a way for the effective development of intervention processes. Objective: To examine the characteristics of alcohol consumption in workers of Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant in Matanzas. Methods: A descriptive research, from September 2018 and August 2019, was carried out in a sample of 126 workers. Consumption patterns, levels of knowledge, attitudes related to the ingestion of alcoholic beverages and their relationship with some sociodemographic variables were analyzed. A questionnaire for the identification of disorders due to alcohol consumption was applied, as well as a questionnaire for the exploration of knowledge and attitudes about said ingestion. Results: Low-risk consumption patterns predominated. Risky consumption patterns were associated with male sex, people under 40 years of age, and single marital status. High levels of knowledge about the danger of drinking alcoholic beverages and the presence of beneficial attitudes towards them were observed. Conclusions: The results regarding alcohol consumption are favorable, but new lines of research are required to confront addictions from occupational and organizational psychology, with techniques, tools and intervention schemes typical of primary care for health or health psychology.

Alcohol consumption patterns and the risk of sarcopenia: a population-based cross-sectional study among chinese women and men from Henan province.

OBJECTIVES: Sarcopenia is a clinically relevant syndrome with health, social, and economic implications. Alcohol consumption is one of the risk factors for sarcopenia, but it has not been fully investigated in Chinese populations. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between alcohol consumption patterns (including the volume and frequency of alcohol consumption) and sarcopenia or its elements among Chinese women and men from Henan Province. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was designed to collect information about nutrition and health in Henan Province, China, and a total of 680 individuals were studied. Sarcopenia was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria updated in 2019. Alcohol consumption was calculated in grams per day and divided into three groups. Drinking frequency was divided into four groups. We assessed the likelihood that sarcopenia was associated with drinking patterns using multiple logistic regression analysis by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) after multiple adjustments. RESULTS: We found that men who consumed > 25 g of ethanol per day were approximately three times more likely to have low muscle mass (OR, 3.99; 95% CI, 1.10-17.05) or low grip strength (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.33-9.92) than nondrinkers after multiple adjustments. In addition, males who consumed alcohol more than 4 times per week were approximately threefold to fivefold more likely to have low muscle mass (OR, 4.99; 95% CI, 1.24-25.55) or low grip strength (OR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.40-8.74) than nondrinkers. Unfortunately, we did not find a relationship between alcohol consumption patterns and sarcopenia or gait speed among males, and there was no association between alcohol consumption patterns and sarcopenia or any elements. CONCLUSION: Heavy alcohol consumption and frequent drinking are important risk factors for low muscle mass and muscle strength in Chinese men from Henan province.

Alcohol Consumption Patterns: A Systematic Review of Demographic and Sociocultural Influencing Factors.

BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol consumption has negative effects not only on the drinkers' health but also on others around them. Previous studies suggest that excessive alcohol consumption can be related to a combination of factors such as age, family background, religiosity, etc. Investigating and clarifying these roots of alcohol consumption is crucial so that the right type of interventions can be designed in a specific and targeted manner. OBJECTIVES: This work was conducted as a systematic review to reveal the factors associated with alcohol consumption and to heighten the understanding of the differences among various communities and segments of the population regarding their usage of alcohol. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was performed. RESULTS: Forty-five studies were included in the review after excluding irrelevant records and duplicates. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption patterns can be associated with several factors related to communities and individuals, and our review revealed demographic factors, including age and proximity to alcohol outlets, as well as social factors, including family background, socioeconomic background, and religious influence. These findings can be used to establish a guideline for further studies in understanding alcohol consumption patterns among individuals according to their personal characteristics and sociocultural backgrounds.

Patterns of Alcohol Consumption and Use of Health Services in Spanish University Students: UniHcos Project.

The aim of the study was to examine the association of alcohol consumption patterns (hazardous alcohol use and binge drinking) and the use of emergency services and primary care consultations in university students. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at eleven Spanish universities collaborating within the uniHcos Project. University students completed an online questionnaire that assessed hazardous alcohol use and binge drinking using the AUDIT questionnaire and evaluated the use of emergency services and primary care. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed, as well as the chi-squared test and Student's t-test and nonconditional logistic regression models to examine this association. Results: There were 10,167 participants who completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of hazardous alcohol use was 16.9% (95% CI: 16.2−17.6), while the prevalence of binge drinking was 48.8% (95% CI: 47.9−49.8). There were significant differences in the use of emergency services in those surveyed with hazardous alcohol use (p < 0.001) or binge drinking pattern (p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were observed in terms of attendance during primary care visits in individuals with hazardous alcohol use (p = 0.367) or binge drinking pattern (p = 0.755). The current study shows the association between university students with a pattern of hazardous alcohol use or binge drinking and greater use of emergency services. However, no significant association was observed between the said consumption patterns and the use of primary care services.

Murine Models for the Study of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: An Overview.

Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated to different physical, behavioral, cognitive, and neurological impairments collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The underlying mechanisms of ethanol toxicity are not completely understood. Experimental studies during human pregnancy to identify new diagnostic biomarkers are difficult to carry out beyond genetic or epigenetic analyses in biological matrices. Therefore, animal models are a useful tool to study the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the central nervous system and analyze the benefits of promising therapies. Animal models of alcohol spectrum disorder allow the analysis of key variables such as amount, timing and frequency of ethanol consumption to describe the harmful effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In this review, we aim to synthetize neurodevelopmental disabilities in rodent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotypes, considering facial dysmorphology and fetal growth restriction. We examine the different neurodevelopmental stages based on the most consistently implicated epigenetic mechanisms, cell types and molecular pathways, and assess the advantages and disadvantages of murine models in the study of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the different routes of alcohol administration, and alcohol consumption patterns applied to rodents. Finally, we analyze a wide range of phenotypic features to identify fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotypes in murine models, exploring facial dysmorphology, neurodevelopmental deficits, and growth restriction, as well as the methodologies used to evaluate behavioral and anatomical alterations produced by prenatal alcohol exposure in rodents.

Alcohol consumption patterns and attitudes toward drink-drive behaviours and road safety enforcement strategies.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol contributes to approximately 30% of all serious crashes. While the majority of drivers acknowledge the risks associated with drink-driving, a significant proportion of the population continue to engage in this behaviour. Attitudes towards drink-driving as well as personal alcohol consumption patterns are likely to underpin a driver's decision to drink-drive. These associations were explored in the current study. METHODS: A large (N=2994) cross-sectional online survey of a representative sample of drivers in Australia was conducted. Participants provided information about their own alcohol consumption patterns, drink-driving behaviour as well as attitudes towards drink-driving (own and others) and enforcement strategies. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption patterns differed according to age, gender and work status. Drivers who reported drink-driving behaviour and had high risk alcohol consumption patterns were less likely to agree that drink-driving leads to increased crash risk and more likely to agree they drink and drive when they believed they could get away with it. In contrast, drivers who did not report drink-driving and had low risk consumption patterns were more likely to report that the enforcement strategies are too lenient. Binary logistic regression showed that high risk alcohol consumption patterns and agreement from drivers that they drink and drive when they believe they can get away with it had the strongest associations with drink-driving. These findings highlight the relationships between one's drinking patterns, drink-drive behaviour and attitudes towards drink-driving and drink-driving enforcement CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The patterns of associations that emerged suggest that drink-driving is the expression of a broader health issue for the most "at-risk" cohort of drinkers. The decision to drink and drive may result from a need borne from an alcohol dependent lifestyle exacerbated by a social acceptability of the behaviour and positive attitudes towards one's ability to drink-drive with few adverse consequences. Therefore, the broader alcohol consumption patterns of drink-drivers needs to be considered when targeting drink-drive reductions.

Are nondrinkers missing from the picture?

UNLABELLED: WHO statistics indicate that half the world's population does not drink alcohol. With a Western outlook this fact is often overlooked. FINDINGS: The article explores the global drinking patterns focusing on non-drinking and the global forces that contribute towards change. The large segment of non-drinking population is beneficial for public health but it is also seen as a great potential for the international alcoholic beverage industry. CONCLUSION: The forces of globalization towards conformity and a global mono-culture deprived of cultural diversity also affects non-drinking populations, to the detriment of public health.

An empirical study of alcohol consumption by patients considering HCV treatment.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol accelerates the course of hepatitis C (HCV) infection and liver damage. Little is known about recency of alcohol use among patients with HCV. OBJECTIVES: Alcohol consumption recency was compared among HCV patients with and without alcohol use disorders and current and lifetime alcohol use histories. METHODS: Patients considering antiviral treatment for HCV (n = 309) recruited from university-affiliated and VA liver and infectious disease clinics were assessed for lifetime and current-year psychiatric disorders and alcohol-use patterns. Full diagnostic interviews, self-report surveys, medical record review, and urine screening for recent alcohol and drug use were conducted. RESULTS: 60% used alcohol in the last year. Besides alcohol history, those who stopped using alcohol in the past year differed from those with no lifetime use only in gender (60% vs. 22%); however, patients no longer using alcohol in the last year were less likely than those still using to have a current drug use disorder (16% vs. 3%) or last-month drug use (52% vs. 30%), and had fewer current risky behaviors (1.3 vs. 0.6). Among patients with last-year alcohol use, those with past alcohol use disorders differed from those without only by higher prevalence of drug use disorder (84% vs. 47%) and drug use after HCV diagnosis (67% vs. 43%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had stopped using alcohol for at least a year were much like those who never used alcohol in regard to other drug use, psychiatric history, smoking, and risky behaviors. These findings indicate that HCV patients with at least a year of abstinence from alcohol, including those with a history of alcohol use disorder, should be considered HCV treatment candidates.