Associations between changes in deprivation and alcohol use disorder: a nationwide longitudinal study.

Background: Despite conflicting findings on the association between socioeconomic status and drinking, little is known about the impact of deprivation as a measure of inequality on alcohol use disorders (AUDs).

Methods: We used the Korea Welfare Panel Study, a longitudinal survey conducted from 2012 to 2022, and included 1569 Korean adult participants. Deprivation (at least one including food, housing, medical, educational, and credit deprivation) was measured by self-report and divided into four categories according to the change in deprivation experience from the previous year to the following year. AUD was measured using the Korean version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals and adjusted for confounders.

Results: Among 1569 participants, worsened deprivation and consistent deprivation were positively associated with AUD compared to non-deprivation. In particular, worsened deprivation was more likely to be associated with AUD in participants with low household income, high school education level, and economic activity.

Conclusion: We found that worsened deprivation and consistent deprivation were associated with AUD. Deprivation should be considered as a health policy intervention to improve drinking problems.