Women's Health

In the news: New research from Dr. Rachel Sayko Adams and her team is showing that women who are aged 35 and above and have not had children are at the highest risk of having alcohol use disorder. In fact, their research also showed that excessive drinking among women has increased in nearly all age groups.

The study suggests that two main factors are driving the rise in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) among women. First, more women are choosing to delay parenthood. This in turn has resulted in higher social drinking rates. Second, society has increasingly accepted and normalized drinking behavior in nearly all gatherings and professional environments. These trends, together, are some of the contributing reasons behind the rapid increase in women who have AUD across Arizona and the nation.

You should know that excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems. Higher rates of alcohol consumption can lead to higher rates of breast cancer, alcohol-related injuries, and liver and heart disease.

Doctor's Expert Insights about AUD and Women's Health in Arizona

Know this: "So, look, this study continues to highlight what we're observing in our patient populations. Especially, since COVID, more and more women are resorting to social home drinking and binge drinking. I like to tell my patients that if they're regularly binge drinking, they're at much higher risk for many, many ailments. Did you know that alcohol consumption increases a woman's risk for liver disease--even if they're drinking less than their male counterparts? If you find that you're drinking a lot more than before, bring it up with your doctor. There are many solutions available!" Dr. Adriana Davis, Family Medicine.

Next steps to take if you or someone in your life is binge drinking: Take the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Discuss the results with your doctor and healthcare team! (Visit Resource Here)

Flagstaff Health Alert

You should know that unmanaged AUD can lead to early death.

AUD is increasing among women.

The Health Standard Newswire

Living in Flagstaff, the following health facts impact your health directly!

Did you know there were 1475.0 deaths from suicide in Arizona in 2021?

23.0% of driving deaths in Coconino County involved alcohol.

16.2% of you in Coconino County have reported that your mental health is "poor."

20.2% of you in Coconino County have depression.

All of these variables play an important role in your overall health and mental health.

Health Standard Newswire: Addiction. June 2023. doi:110.1111/add.16262

What they're saying:

"...the study found that women who turned 35 in recent years, as well as women who have not had children by age 35, are the subgroups of women at highest risk of binge drinking and having alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms... Women who turned 35 between 2018 and 2019 were nearly 60 percent more likely to binge drink or report AUD symptoms than women who turned 35 between 1993 and 1997. The trend towards parenting at older ages was evident, as only 39 percent of women in the 2018-2019 cohort had children before age 30, compared to 54 percent of women in the 1993-1997 cohort. " (Study Editorial)

Sources:

The Journal Addiction published the findings: Cohort effects of women's mid-life binge drinking and alcohol use disorder symptoms in the United States: Impacts of changes in timing of parenthood (Read it Here)

The Health Standard Newswire

Originally published on thsdaily.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.