Association of therapeutic and recreational reasons for alcohol use with alcohol demand.

Abstract

Motives for alcohol use and behavioral economic measures of demand are associated with alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. However, it is unclear how differences in reasons for alcohol use may affect alcohol demand. Additionally, although alcohol is commonly used to self-manage conditions such as pain and sleep problems, the impact of these reasons for alcohol use on alcohol demand is not well characterized. The present study addressed this gap. Participants were adults recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk as part of a larger study investigating health behaviors. Analyses included participants who reported alcohol use in the past year (N = 637). Participants were categorized as having recreational, therapeutic, or both recreational and therapeutic reasons for using alcohol. A brief, three-item measure of alcohol demand was administered. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) analyses revealed that alcohol drinkers endorsing both recreational and therapeutic reasons for use had significantly higher average intensity, O max , and breakpoint indices compared to those who only reported recreational or therapeutic drinking motives ( ps < .05; Cohen's d = .09-.17). Secondary analyses revealed differences in demand according to therapeutic reason for alcohol use endorsed. Significant main effects were found for use to relieve pain and anxiety/depression/stress, while interactive effects were detected for use to relieve pain and improve sleep and use to relieve pain and anxiety/depression/stress. Overall, results suggest that alcohol demand is highest in drinkers who consume alcohol for both therapeutic and recreational reasons. This group may be at elevated risk for alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related consequences. Continued research is necessary to examine this possibility. Public Health SignificanceThis study suggests that individuals with both therapeutic and recreational reasons for alcohol use have greater demand for alcohol compared to either reason for use alone. Associations with alcohol demand also differed based on the type of therapeutic reason for use endorsed. Results highlight self-reported reasons for alcohol use as potential indicators of risk for hazardous use.

Alcohol demand in college students: The roles of athletic involvement and gender.

“…This finding suggests that for women, higher anxiety was associated with higher values for P max , which may indicate relatively less elastic demand as P max reflects a higher price at which demand becomes elastic. Previous research suggests that higher alcohol demand is associated with drinking to cope with mental health concerns (Ferguson et al, 2023), so the correlation between anxiety and P max in women that we observed is partially consistent with this evidence. In men, we found that anxiety was significantly positively correlated with alcohol-related consequences (i.e., B-YAACQ scores).…”

“…A behavioral economic approach can inform the extent to which increases in alcohol price may reduce consumption and therefore provide a tool to identify alcohol-associated risk. Moreover, measures of demand are associated with negative psychological states, such as anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms, as well as drinking to cope (M. Amlung & MacKillop, 2014;Dennhardt et al, 2016;Ferguson et al, 2023;Hogarth et al, 2018;Martinetti et al, 2019;Murphy et al, 2013;Soltis et al, 2017;Yurasek et al, 2011).…”

“…Moreover, measures of demand are associated with negative psychological states, such as anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms, as well as drinking to cope (M. Amlung & MacKillop, 2014; Dennhardt et al, 2016; Ferguson et al, 2023; Hogarth et al, 2018; Martinetti et al, 2019; Murphy et al, 2013; Soltis et al, 2017; Yurasek et al, 2011).…”

The hidden risks of alcohol use for pain relief

“…Although Vitus et al found no significant differences in recent drinking between pain and non‐pain groups, another recent study from the Boissoneault group suggests that alcohol demand is highest in drinkers who consume alcohol for both therapeutic and recreational purposes (Ferguson et al, 2022), and this motivational dimension may play a crucial role in reinforcement processes related to increased quantity or frequency of alcohol use in the context of pain. In this regard, a focus on interactions between chronic pain and binge drinking patterns in individuals displaying a higher Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score would be valuable.…”

Expectancy of alcohol analgesia moderates perception of pain relief following acute alcohol intake.

“…Expectancy of alcohol analgesia (EAA; i.e., that alcohol will provide pain relief and improve pain coping) has received less attention than other positive alcohol outcome expectancies. However, EAA has been associated with greater drinking among both people with (LaRowe et al, 2021) and without chronic pain (LaRowe et al, 2022), and alcohol has been shown to have higher reinforcing efficacy for individuals reporting alcohol use in order to relieve pain and/or negative affect (Ferguson et al, 2023). Together, these studies indicate the important role alcohol analgesia-related expectancies may have in influencing the risk of hazardous drinking (i.e., drinking above recommended levels, which increases risk of adverse biomedical and psychosocial consequences; Grant et al, 2017).…”