Gender Differences in Drinking Patterns in Scotland
Author Information
Author(s): C. Emslie, H. Lewars, G.D. Batty, K. Hunt
Primary Institution: MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
Hypothesis
Are there gender differences in hazardous drinking among different age cohorts?
Conclusion
Men consistently drink more than women across all age cohorts, but the gap is narrowing for younger women.
Supporting Evidence
- Men's levels of hazardous drinking were higher than women's in all cohorts.
- The youngest cohort showed the highest levels of binge drinking.
- Gender differences in heavy drinking reduced over the decade for each cohort.
Takeaway
This study looked at how much men and women drink in Scotland and found that men drink a lot more than women, but young women are starting to drink more like men.
Methodology
The study used data from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study, comparing drinking patterns across three age cohorts at two time points.
Potential Biases
Selection bias due to attrition, particularly in the oldest cohort.
Limitations
Period effects cannot be separated from age or cohort effects, and there is potential selection bias due to attrition.
Participant Demographics
Participants included men and women from three age cohorts: youngest (born in the early 1970s), middle (early 1950s), and oldest (early 1930s).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
(95% confidence intervals)
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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