Research suggests that young adults and racial/ethnic minorities are at an increased risk for problematic alcohol use. Recent studies have also documented patterns of problematic alcohol use among a subset of weight loss surgery (WLS) patients. However, to date, there are no published studies investigating the intersection of these demographic and clinical characteristics.
This study used descriptive and inferential analyses to examine alcohol use patterns, prevalence of pre and post-WLS alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and predictors of increased alcohol use and problematic alcohol use post-WLS among young adult (mean age 26.5 years old, SD = 5.5 years) ethnically diverse (57% Hispanic, 28% non-Hispanic black) WLS patients (N = 69).
Over 21% of the sample had a history of a lifetime AUD, and 4.2% of the sample developed an AUD post-WLS. In the past 30 days, 14.5% of respondents reported binge drinking, and 42% reported drinking until intoxication. History of a pre-WLS AUD was associated with an increased frequency of alcohol use post WLS (p = 0.012). Age, time since WLS, the gastric bypass procedure, and pre-WLS history of an AUD were not significant predictors of binge drinking or drinking to intoxication post-WLS.
Ethnically diverse, young adults may have an elevated prevalence of AUD diagnoses pre-WLS. Having a pre-WLS AUD appears to be a risk factor for increased alcohol use post-WLS. Young adult WLS patients might also demonstrate high rates of binge drinking and drinking to intoxication. Binge drinking could be especially problematic considering that WLS could increase sensitivity to alcohol. Further investigation is warranted with this important sub-population to explore risk factors for problematic alcohol use post-WLS; future assessments of alcohol use should consider potential heightened alcohol sensitivity resulting from WLS.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
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2%
Other
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Unknown
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Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 7. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 11 January 2017.
All research outputs
#6,767,907
of 34,357,314 outputs
Outputs from Substance Use & Addiction Journal
#342
of 1,120 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#93,996
of 462,389 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Substance Use & Addiction Journal
#8
of 21 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,357,314 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 79th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,120 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 13.1. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 68% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 462,389 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 78% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 21 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 61% of its contemporaries.
