Prevalence and predictors of risky and heavy alcohol consumption among adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: E. Anne Lown, University of California San Francisco; Ann Mertens, Emory University; Rachael A. Korcha, University of California San Francisco; Wendy Leisenring, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Melissa M. Hudson, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Thomas K. Greenfield, University of California San Francisco; Leslie L. Robison, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Lonnie K. Zeltzer, University of California Los Angeles
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-05-01
• Publisher: Wiley: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pon.3121
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Psycho-Oncology
• ISSN: 1057-9249
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 1134
• End Page: 1143
• Grant/Funding Information: Work on this study was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (P50 AA05595) through the National Alcohol Research Center, and supported by grant U24 CA55727 (L.L. Robison, Principal Investigator) from the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD.
• Keywords: Alcohol; Mental health; Cancer; Childhood cancer; Heavy drinking; Psychological impact; Siblings; Risky drinking; Alcohol/drug use
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Health Sciences, Oncology; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Objective To describe alcohol consumption patterns and risk factors for risky and heavy alcohol use among siblings of childhood cancer survivors compared with survivors and national controls. Methods Secondary analysis of prospectively collected data from two national surveys was performed including a cohort of 3034 adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors (age 18-56 years) and 10,398 adult childhood cancer survivors, both from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, plus 5712 adult participants from the population-based National Alcohol Survey. Cancer-related experiences, self-reported current health, and mental health were examined in relation to alcohol consumption patterns including heavy and risky drinking. Results Adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors were more likely to be heavy drinkers (OR adj = 1.3; 1.0-1.6) and risky drinkers (OR adj = 1.3; 1.1-1.6) compared with controls from a national sample. Siblings were also more likely to drink at these two levels compared with survivors. Factors associated with heavy drinking among siblings included being 18-21 years old (OR adj = 2.9; 2.0-4.4), male (OR adj = 2.3; 1.7-3.0), having a high school education or less (OR adj = 2.4; 1.7-3.5), and drinking initiation at a young age (OR adj = 5.1; 2.5-10.3). Symptoms of depression, (OR adj = 2.1; 1.3-3.2), anxiety (OR adj = 1.9; 1.1-3.3), and global psychiatric distress (OR adj = 2.5; 1.5-4.3) were significantly associated with heavy alcohol use. Conclusions Siblings of children with cancer are more likely to be risky and heavy drinkers as adults compared with childhood cancer survivors or national controls. Early initiation of drinking and symptoms of psychological distress should be identified during early adolescence and effective sibling-specific interventions should be developed and made available for siblings of children with cancer.