Changes in patterns of alcohol consumption in young psychiatric outpatients: two comparable samples assessed with 10...

Over the past 20 years, a trend towards non-drinking and less use of alcohol has been reported among young adults. This study aimed to investigate if a similar trend in alcohol consumption can be seen among young adult psychiatric outpatients.

This was a cross-sectional study based on two comparable samples of young adult (18-25 years) psychiatric outpatients recruited approximately 10 years apart in 2002-2003 (N = 197) and 2012-2016 (N = 380). The Swedish version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess alcohol consumption. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on diagnostic interviews. Differences between the two samples in alcohol consumption and a number of alcohol-use disorder diagnoses were analysed. Cramer's V was chosen as the effect size measure.

Mean AUDIT scores and prevalence of diagnosed alcohol-use disorder in the two samples did not differ significantly. The number of non-drinkers was larger among patients in the mid-2010s (15.8% vs. 8.1%; χ² = 6.76, p < 0.01, Φ = 0.11), but when non-drinkers were excluded, the alcohol consumption was higher among females in the later sample.

The mean level of alcohol consumption seems not to have changed to the same extent among young psychiatric patients as in the general population. However, some young psychiatric patients have followed the trend of non-drinking, while others consume more alcohol. Further studies on both non-drinking and high alcohol consumption in psychiatric patients are needed to understand their mechanisms.