Alcohol-related morbidity and mortality within siblings
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
Grethe Søndergaard1, Merete Osler, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
1Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, Nordre Ringvej 57, Building 84/85, DK-2600, Glostrup, Denmark.
Aims:
To estimate the association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality among full siblings in comparison with non-related individuals.
Design:
Cohort study.
Setting:
Denmark.
Participants:
Approximately 1.4 million full siblings born in Denmark between 1950 and 1979 were followed from age 28-58 years or censoring due to alcohol-related hospitalization and mortality.
Measurements:
Cox regression analyses were used to estimate associations of educational status with alcohol-related outcomes. Results from cohort analyses based on non-related individuals and inter-sibling analyses were compared.
Findings:
A lower educational status was associated with a higher rate of alcohol-related outcomes, especially among the youngest (aged 28-37 years) and individuals born 1970-79. Compared with the cohort analyses, the associations attenuated slightly in the inter-sibling analysis. For example, in the cohort analysis, females with a basic school education born 1970-79 had an increased rate of alcohol-related non-somatic morbidity and mortality [hazard rate ratio (HR) = 4.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.27-5.02] compared to those with a vocational education. In the inter-sibling analysis, the HR attenuated (HR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.95-3.63). For alcohol-related somatic outcomes the corresponding figures were HR = 3.47 (95% CI = 2.63-4.58) and HR = 3.36 (95% CI = 2.10-5.38), respectively. In general, the associations were stronger among females than males (aged 28-37) in the analyses of alcohol-related non-somatic outcomes. Health conditions earlier in life explained only a minor part of the associations.
Conclusions:
The association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality is only driven by familial factors to a small degree.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Hypothesis Test for Test of Independence
H0: The two variables (factors)...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology

