Xiaoyu Zhang
Zhang Xiaoyu, a PhD student in the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong. She is interested in the fields of alcohol drinking and smoking. One of her projects aimed to investigate the association between alcohol drinking and adverse health in adolescents. Recently, she is also involved in smoking projects. She focuses on examining the tobacco use-related attitudes, intentions, behaviors in Hong Kong, especially the use pattern of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products. In the future, she will access the need for new or more stringent tobacco control policies, aiming to reduce tobacco use prevalence in Hong Kong.
Binge drinking, drunkenness and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong secondary school students
Aims:
To investigate the associations of binge drinking and drunkenness with depressive symptoms in Hong Kong secondary school students, and the potential mediating role of drunkenness.
Design:
Based on a large-scale school-based survey in 2012-13, we analysed the associations of binge drinking and drunkenness with depressive symptoms in present drinkers using logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders (socioeconomic status, smoking and drug use). Potential mediating effect of drunkenness on the relation between binge drinking and depressive symptoms was also investigated.
Setting:
Hong Kong
Participants:
A total of 10973 present drinkers (aged 11-20 years, 50.1% girls)
Measurements:
Using an anonymous questionnaire, we assessed depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2. The frequency of binge drinking (consuming 6 or more drinks on one occasion) and the frequency of drunkenness in the past 12 months were also recorded.
Findings and Conclusions:
Binge drinking was associated with depressive symptoms [infrequent binge drinking (adjusted odds ratio 1.36, 95% CI 1.16-1.58); frequent binge drinking (1.40, 1.09-1.78); P for trend <0.001], while such association was largely (81.6%) mediated by drunkenness (P<0.001). The frequency of drunkenness was significantly associated with depressive symptoms independent of binge drinking [drunk for 1-2 times (1.46, 1.26-1.67); drunk for 3+ times (1.90, 1.54-2.35); P for trend <0.001]. Binge drinking was associated with depressive symptoms through mediation by drunkenness. If these associations were causal, avoiding alcohol use or at least drunkenness may prevent depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents.
Poster link: Binge drinking, drunkenness and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong secondary school students