The effect of increased alcohol availability on alcohol-related health problems up to the age of 42 among children exposed in utero : A natural experiment
(2018) In Alcohol and Alcoholism 53(1). p.104-111- Abstract
Aim: To examine whether exposure to increased alcohol availability in utero is associated with later alcohol-related health problems. Method: Register-linked population-based longitudinal study using data from a natural experiment setting, including 363 286 children born 1965-71. An experimental alcohol policy change was piloted in two regions of Sweden in 1967-68, where access to strong beer increased for 16-20 year old. Children exposed in utero to the policy change were compared to children born elsewhere in Sweden (excluding a border area), and to children born before and after the policy change. The outcome was obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Register using the Swedish index of alcohol-related inpatient care. Hazard... (More)
Aim: To examine whether exposure to increased alcohol availability in utero is associated with later alcohol-related health problems. Method: Register-linked population-based longitudinal study using data from a natural experiment setting, including 363 286 children born 1965-71. An experimental alcohol policy change was piloted in two regions of Sweden in 1967-68, where access to strong beer increased for 16-20 year old. Children exposed in utero to the policy change were compared to children born elsewhere in Sweden (excluding a border area), and to children born before and after the policy change. The outcome was obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Register using the Swedish index of alcohol-related inpatient care. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by Cox regression analysis. Results: The results suggest that children conceived by young mothers prior to the policy change but exposed to it in utero had a slightly increased risk of alcohol-related health problems later in life (HR 1.26, 95% CI 0.94-1.68). A tendency towards an inverse association was found among children conceived by older mothers (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.74-1.06). Conclusion: Results obtained from a natural experiment setting found no consistent evidence of long-term health consequences among children exposed in utero to an alcohol policy change. Some evidence however suggested an increased risk of alcohol-related health problems among the exposed children of young mothers.
(Less)
- author
- Thern, Emelie ; Carslake, David ; Smith, George Davey ; Tynelius, Per and Rasmussen, Finn LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-01-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- increased alcohol, children exposed, Health problems
- in
- Alcohol and Alcoholism
- volume
- 53
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 8 pages
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:29053772
- pmid:29053772
- scopus:85040522864
- ISSN
- 0735-0414
- DOI
- 10.1093/alcalc/agx069
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b10ff168-695b-455c-8e55-ce713e5bc439
- date added to LUP
- 2018-02-05 12:41:19
- date last changed
- 2024-03-18 04:44:41
@article{b10ff168-695b-455c-8e55-ce713e5bc439,
abstract = {{<p>Aim: To examine whether exposure to increased alcohol availability in utero is associated with later alcohol-related health problems. Method: Register-linked population-based longitudinal study using data from a natural experiment setting, including 363 286 children born 1965-71. An experimental alcohol policy change was piloted in two regions of Sweden in 1967-68, where access to strong beer increased for 16-20 year old. Children exposed in utero to the policy change were compared to children born elsewhere in Sweden (excluding a border area), and to children born before and after the policy change. The outcome was obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Register using the Swedish index of alcohol-related inpatient care. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by Cox regression analysis. Results: The results suggest that children conceived by young mothers prior to the policy change but exposed to it in utero had a slightly increased risk of alcohol-related health problems later in life (HR 1.26, 95% CI 0.94-1.68). A tendency towards an inverse association was found among children conceived by older mothers (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.74-1.06). Conclusion: Results obtained from a natural experiment setting found no consistent evidence of long-term health consequences among children exposed in utero to an alcohol policy change. Some evidence however suggested an increased risk of alcohol-related health problems among the exposed children of young mothers.</p>}},
author = {{Thern, Emelie and Carslake, David and Smith, George Davey and Tynelius, Per and Rasmussen, Finn}},
issn = {{0735-0414}},
keywords = {{increased alcohol; children exposed; Health problems}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{01}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{104--111}},
publisher = {{Oxford University Press}},
series = {{Alcohol and Alcoholism}},
title = {{The effect of increased alcohol availability on alcohol-related health problems up to the age of 42 among children exposed in utero : A natural experiment}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agx069}},
doi = {{10.1093/alcalc/agx069}},
volume = {{53}},
year = {{2018}},
}