The Net Effect of Positive Changes in Alcohol Consumption on Mental Health Among South Korean Adults

This study investigates the net effects of positive changes in alcohol consumption-specifically, transitions from high-risk to moderate drinking-on mental health among Korean adults.

We analyzed data from 2,238 Korean adults (3,439 person-wave observations) from the 2011-2013 and 2016-2018 waves of the Korea Health Panel Survey. Participants were classified into a transitioned to moderate drinking group (study group) and a continuous high-risk drinking group (control group). To adjust for baseline equivalence between the groups, inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied. Mental health changes, measured using the Korean version of the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI-K), were analyzed using a difference-in-differences (DID) model with multiple regression.

A preliminary analysis using independent and paired t-tests examined the treatment effect of moderate drinking on mental health, accounting for group differences, time changes, and their interaction. Results showed overall positive effects, with reductions in psychological and physical stress (-0.064, p < 0.05), frustration (-0.016, n.s.), unmet needs (-0.047, p < 0.1), future uncertainty (-0.101, p < 0.001), and task-related stress (-0.024, n.s.). The overall BEPSI-K score also significantly decreased (-0.051, p < 0.001). In the DID model with multiple regression, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, moderate drinking had a significant effect in reducing future uncertainty (coefficient = -0.049, p < 0.001).

The net positive effect of transitioning from high-risk to moderate drinking suggests meaningful improvements in mental health. These findings offer valuable evidence for refining drinking guidelines, informing mental health policies, and guiding future research.