Life course outcomes for women with different alcohol consumption trajectories: A population-based longitudinal study

Introduction and Aims. Relatively little is known about the consequences for women of sustained higher levels of alcohol consumption. We examine three outcomes (marital relationship, reproductive health and well-being) for women with different alcohol consumption trajectories over 21 years. Design and Methods. Data were from a prospective cohort study in Brisbane, Queensland (n=3337). Group-based trajectory modeling measured women's alcohol consumption trajectories spanning 21 years. Outcomes were measured using a self-report questionnaire at the 27-year follow-up. Results. Four trajectories of women's alcohol consumption were identified: abstaining, low-stable drinkers, moderate-escalating drinkers and heavy-escalating drinkers. Abstaining predicts positive outcomes measured at the 27-year follow-up such as being married, never having a divorce, never having multiple partners, and fewer pregnancy terminations. Moderate and heavy-escalating trajectories predict being unmarried, having multiple partners, having fewer children, having a termination of a previous pregnancy, and reporting lower levels of well-being at the 27-year follow-up. Discussion and Conclusions. The escalating-trajectory group is of particular interest as membership of this group is associated with a wide range of adverse life course outcomes by the 27-year follow-up. The consequences of moderate and heavy-escalating alcohol trajectories in a community sample of women whose pattern of alcohol consumption do not reach clinical criteria of problem drinking have not previously been described. Women with these sustained patterns of alcohol consumption are an appropriate target group for intervention programs.