Journal article
The effects of US state income inequality and alcohol policies on symptoms of depression and alcohol dependence
Social science & medicine (1982), v 58(3), pp 565-575
01 Feb 2004
PMID: 14652052
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Mental health is likely to be influenced by contextual variables that emerge only at the level of the group. We studied the effect of two such group-level variables, within-state income inequality and alcohol tax policy, on symptoms of current depression and alcohol dependence in a US national sample, controlling for state-level and individual characteristics. A cross-sectional US national probability sample provided the individual-level data. State income data were obtained from the 1990 US census. The Gini coefficient (raw and adjusted) indicated income inequality. Outcome measures included current symptoms of depression and alcohol dependence. Controlling for individual-level variables and state median income, the odds of depressive symptoms was not positively associated with state income inequality. Controlling for individual-level variables, state median income and alcohol distribution method, a weak negative association between Gini and alcohol dependence was observed in women, but this association disappeared after additional adjustment for beer tax. No association was observed in men. Higher state beer tax was significantly associated with lower prevalence of alcohol dependence symptoms for both men and women. The results suggest that state income inequality does not increase the experience of alcohol dependence or depression symptoms. However, evidence was found for a protective effect of increased beer taxation against alcohol dependence symptoms, suggesting the need to further consider the impact of alcohol policies on alcohol use disorders.
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Details
- Title
- The effects of US state income inequality and alcohol policies on symptoms of depression and alcohol dependence
- Creators
- Claire Henderson - Columbia UniversityXinhua Liu - Columbia UniversityAna V Diez Roux - Columbia UniversityBruce G Link - Columbia UniversityDeborah Hasin - Columbia University
- Publication Details
- Social science & medicine (1982), v 58(3), pp 565-575
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 11
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000187743300010
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-0345357921
- Other Identifier
- 991020111915904721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Social Sciences, Biomedical