ALCOHOL INTAKE AND SUBJECTIVE HEALTH

This cross-sectional analysis examined associations between alcohol in take and subjective health in a random sample (n=6,040) drawn from the general population aged 25-64 years in Finland in 1992. Self-reported health was good for 3,375 persons and average or poor (suboptimal) fo r 2,665 persons. Crude odds ratios suggested a U-shaped pattern betwee n alcohol intake and suboptimal health. The pattern took more of a J-s hape after data were controlled for sex, age, education, marital statu s, lack of close friends, being on a disability pension, smoking, bein g an ex-drinker, and having decreased one's alcohol intake during the past 12 months because of health problems. An interaction was found be tween alcohol and smoking, The pattern of alcohol odds ratios showed a J-shaped association among never smokers, and a similar pattern was s uggested among ex-smokers and current smokers. Among never smokers, th e lowest risk was found at the alcohol consumption level of 100-199 g/ week (odds ratio (OR)=0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.89). T he highest risk was found among persons who regularly smoked greater t han or equal to 20 cigarettes per day and drank greater than or equal to 300 g/week (OR=4.44, 95% CI 2.36-8.36). The risk for ex-drinkers di d not differ from that for lifelong abstainers (OR=0.89, 95% Cl 0.62-1 .28), but persons who had decreased their alcohol intake during the pa st 12 months because of health problems had a higher risk (OR=1.21, 95 % CI 1.05-1.39). The authors conclude that moderate alcohol intake is related to a self-perception of good health.