Observational Research on Alcohol Use and Chronic Disease Outcome: New Approaches to Counter Biases
Table 4
Association between alcohol use and health status using the standard approach plus offsetting for residual confounding effects, all controlled confounders listed (RR: relative risk).
RR
95% confidence interval
Alcohol use status
Lifetime abstainer
1.00
Former infrequent
1.03
0.97
1.09
Former regular
1.36
1.28
1.45
Current infrequent
0.98
0.92
1.05
Current light
0.87
0.82
0.93
Current moderate
0.78
0.71
0.84
Current heavier
1.03
0.93
1.13
Drinking status not reported
1.00
0.88
1.13
Gender
Male
1.00
Female
0.92
0.89
0.96
Age group
18–24
1.00
25–34
2.10
1.82
2.43
35–44
3.45
3.01
3.96
45–54
4.59
4.02
5.24
55–64
5.08
4.44
5.81
65–74
3.24
2.73
3.84
75+
3.38
2.85
4.02
Race
White
1.00
Black
1.13
1.08
1.19
Asian
0.91
0.82
1.01
All other race groups
1.26
1.10
1.44
Marital status
Married currently living with spouse
1.00
Married not currently living with spouse
0.92
0.79
1.08
Widowed
1.05
0.97
1.12
Divorced
1.12
1.05
1.19
Separated
1.19
1.09
1.29
Never married
1.00
0.94
1.07
Living with partner
1.10
1.00
1.21
Education level
12th grade or lower
1.00
High-school graduates
0.79
0.76
0.82
Bachelor’s degree
0.54
0.49
0.59
Master degree or above
0.48
0.43
0.54
Employment status
Working for pay at a job or business
1.00
With a job or business but not at work
1.51
1.27
1.79
Looking for work
1.41
1.27
1.56
Working, but not for pay, at a family-owned job or business
1.33
1.00
1.78
Not working at a job or business and not looking for work
