Laura Senier, BA, MPH¹, Nicole S. Bell, ScD, MPH¹, Holly Toboni, MA², Jeffrey O. Williams, BS¹, and Paul J. Amoroso, MD, MPH³. (1) Social Sectors Development Strategies, Inc. (SSDS, Inc.), 38 Pitts Street, Natick, MA 01760, 508-653-7927, laura_senier@brown.edu, (2) Geo Centers, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Kansas Street, Building 42, Natick, MA 01760, (3) U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, 42 Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760

Many epidemiologic studies have focused on the relationship between patterns of alcohol consumption and health outcomes, typically in the context of the development of chronic diseases. Fewer studies have identified correlates of short-term changes in drinking patterns, or changes in drinking habits and associated health outcomes among younger Americans. Understanding these dynamics is an important step in differentiating between drinkers who might age out of risky drinking patterns spontaneously and those who might benefit from targeted interventions. This analysis examines responses from 21,751 active duty U.S. Army soldiers who took a health habit survey twice with a minimum of 31 days but less than 365 days between surveys. Self reported weekly drinking quantities were used to identify respondents as high-risk drinkers (i.e., those in the top decile of consumption). Because women typically consume less alcohol than men but suffer greater adverse consequences at lower levels of consumption, we constructed these categories for men and women separately. In early analyses, 15,063 (69%) soldiers remained low-risk drinkers at both surveys and 1,951 (9%) soldiers remained high-risk drinkers; 1,878 (9%) soldiers reported a decrease in weekly alcohol consumption and 1,985 (9%) soldiers reported an increase in weekly alcohol consumption. Further analyses will identify demographic, occupational, and behavioral factors that influence the adoption of safer or riskier drinking habits, or factors that predict stability in drinking behaviors. Subanalyses evaluate stability of self-reported consumption among soldiers who crossed the minimum legal drinking age between first and second surveys.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Identify five risk factors that are associated with a transition from light to heavy alcohol consumption among active duty Army soldiers over a short time span.
• 2. Identify five factors that are associated with a transition from heavy to light alcohol consumption among active duty soldiers who underwent more than one health habit assessment.
• 3. Describe the short-term impact of the Army’s Health Risk Appraisal as a health intervention designed to influence self-reported drinking behaviors.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.