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Alcohol use in the military: associations with health and wellbeing

Overview of attention for article published in Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, July 2015
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  • In the top 25% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (84th percentile)
  • Above-average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (60th percentile)

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1 news outlet
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1 X user

Citations

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33 Dimensions

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69 Mendeley
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Title
Alcohol use in the military: associations with health and wellbeing
Published in
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, July 2015
DOI 10.1186/s13011-015-0023-4
Pubmed ID
Authors

Michael Waller, Annabel C. L. McGuire, Annette J. Dobson

Abstract

This study assessed the extent to which alcohol consumption in a military group differed from the general population, and how alcohol affected the military group's health and social functioning. A cross sectional survey of military personnel (n = 5311) collected self-reported data on alcohol use (AUDIT scale) and general health, role limitations because of physical health problems (role physical), and social functioning scores (SF36 subscales). Logistic regression was used to compare drinking behaviours between the military sample and a general population sample, using the categories risky drinkers (>2 units per day), low risk drinkers (≤2 standard drinks per day) and abstainers. Groups in the military sample with the highest levels of alcohol misuse (harmful drinking AUDIT ≥ 16, alcohol dependence AUDIT ≥ 20, and binge drinking) were also identified. Linear regression models were then used to assess the association between alcohol misuse and SF36 scores. There were fewer risky drinkers in the military sample than in the general population sample. There were also fewer abstainers, but more people who drank at a lower risk level (≤2 standard drinks per day), than in a sample of the general population. Harmful drinking and alcohol dependence were most commonly observed in men, younger age groups, non-commissioned officers and lower ranks as well as reserve and ex-serving groups. Alcohol misuse was clearly associated with poorer general health scores, more role limitations because of physical health problems, and lower social functioning. Although risky drinking was lower in the military group than in the general population, drinking was associated with poorer health, more limitations because of physical health problems, and poorer social functioning in Defence members. These results highlight the potential benefits for Defence forces in reducing alcohol use among members, in both those groups identified at highest risk, and across the military workforce as a whole.

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The data shown below were collected from the profile of 1 X user who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 69 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 69 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 13 19%
Researcher 10 14%
Student > Doctoral Student 9 13%
Student > Postgraduate 6 9%
Student > Bachelor 6 9%
Other 15 22%
Unknown 10 14%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Psychology 21 30%
Medicine and Dentistry 15 22%
Social Sciences 8 12%
Nursing and Health Professions 3 4%
Chemistry 2 3%
Other 8 12%
Unknown 12 17%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 10. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 14 April 2022.
All research outputs
#3,065,483
of 23,538,320 outputs
Outputs from Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
#167
of 685 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#40,121
of 264,756 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
#4
of 10 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,538,320 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 86th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 685 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 11.4. This one has done well, scoring higher than 75% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 264,756 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 84% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 10 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has scored higher than 6 of them.