Gender differences in alcohol use disorder trends from 2009-2019: An intersectional analysis

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• National surveys indicate converging alcohol use trends between adult men and women over two decades.
• Limited research has explored sociodemographic influences on gender differences in these alcohol use trends using an intersectional approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how gender intersects with various sociodemographic factors to influence temporal trends in alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• To identify specific subpopulations of females at heightened risk for AUD based on demographic characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2009-2019.
• Employed logistic regression and linear trend analyses to examine interaction effects between sociodemographic variables and AUD rates over time in males and females.

Main Results:

• Overall decreasing rates of AUD observed in both genders, with significantly larger declines in males.
• Identified subpopulations of females (varying by race/ethnicity, age, marital status, employment, and income) with minimal or no reduction in AUD rates.
• Women aged 49 and younger, those employed, Black women, single women, and those earning $20,000-$49,000 showed smaller declines in AUD compared to men with similar characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the convergence of AUD rates between genders.
• Newly identified subpopulations of females are at heightened risk for alcohol use disorder, necessitating targeted interventions.