Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment (Jan 2015)

A Cohort Study on Long-Term Adverse Effects of Parental Drinking: Background and Study Design

  • Ingunn Olea Lund,
  • Anne Bukten,
  • Elisabet E. Storvoll,
  • Inger Synnøve Moan,
  • Svetlana Skurtveit,
  • Marte Handal,
  • Trond Nordfjærn,
  • Geir Scott Brunborg,
  • Ingeborg Rossow

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4137/SART.S23329
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9s2

Abstract

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Although many studies have addressed adverse outcomes in children of parents with alcohol abuse/dependence, less is known about the possible long-term effects of more normative patterns of parental alcohol consumption, including drinking at lower risk levels and heavy episodic or binge drinking. The extent of harm from parental drinking may therefore be underestimated. With this research proposal, we describe a project that aims to assess possible long-term adverse effects of parental drinking by combining survey and nationwide registry data. Advantages of a longitudinal general population cohort design include that it allows for detailed information on parental drinking through survey data and identification of possible negative long-term health and social outcomes from exposure to parental drinking 1–19 years after exposure through continuously updated nationwide registers. The rich information available from combining survey and registry data allows us to take into account important confounders, mediators, and moderators.