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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1430840
This article is part of the Research Topic Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Low and Middle-income Countries: Burden, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies View all 5 articles

The non-linear correlation between the severity of alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms in the Chinese Wa ethnic minority

Provisionally accepted
Junjun Liu Junjun Liu 1Xiaotang Feng Xiaotang Feng 2*Liu Yang Liu Yang 3Libin Xiao Libin Xiao 2*Ruixiang Tong Ruixiang Tong 3*Yangchun Wang Yangchun Wang 3Zhaomin Lu Zhaomin Lu 3*Fengnan Jia Fengnan Jia 1*Xiaobin Zhang Xiaobin Zhang 1Zhe Li Zhe Li 1Xiang Dong Du Xiang Dong Du 1Wanqiu Yang Wanqiu Yang 4*
  • 1 Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China
  • 2 Nanjing Youan Hospital, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
  • 3 Nanjing Meishan Hospital, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
  • 4 Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: The aim of this research was to examine the association between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms in the Wa ethnic minority of China, a population where this relationship has been insufficiently explored.A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a sample of 317 current drinkers from the Wa ethnic minority, a "direct fast-forward" group in Cangyuan County, between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Utilizing a multi-stage cluster sampling approach, participants were selected, each of whom exhibited an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) score exceeding 0. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews employing a uniform questionnaire. Quantification of alcohol use was achieved through the application of the AUDIT, while the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 was employed to gauge depressive symptoms.The relationship between the severity of alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms was evaluated using a multivariable logistic regression model. Subsequently, potential non-linear associations were scrutinized through the application of a smoothing plot.The study included 317 current drinkers (196 males [61.83%]; mean age 41.78 ± 12.91 years), of which 94 (29.65%) exhibited comorbid depressive symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusting for confounders, revealed that higher AUDIT scores were significantly associated with an increased probability of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.18, P = 0.008). The risk of depressive symptoms was notably greater in the group with alcohol dependent range in contrast the group at low-risk range (OR = 7.01, 95% CI: 1.66-29.62, P = 0.008). The smoothing plot indicated a J-shaped non-linear relationship with an inflection point at an AUDIT score of 15. To the left of this inflection point, no significant relationship was observed, whereas to the right, a positive correlation emerged (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.11-1.74, P < 0.001).The findings reveal a non-linear relationship between alcohol consumption and the probability of depressive symptoms within the Wa ethnic minority in China, with implications for the development of nuanced and effective treatment strategies tailored to this population.

    Keywords: Correlation, alcohol use, depressive symptoms, ethnic minority, non-linear relationship

    Received: 10 May 2024; Accepted: 18 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Liu, Feng, Yang, Xiao, Tong, Wang, Lu, Jia, Zhang, Li, Du and Yang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Xiaotang Feng, Nanjing Youan Hospital, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
    Libin Xiao, Nanjing Youan Hospital, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
    Ruixiang Tong, Nanjing Meishan Hospital, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
    Zhaomin Lu, Nanjing Meishan Hospital, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
    Fengnan Jia, Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China
    Wanqiu Yang, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan Province, China

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