Adverse Childhood Experiences and Binge Drinking as an Adult

Background: Binge drinking is a significant public health problem and 25% of American adults are binge alcohol users. While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to many unfavorable health outcomes, little is known regarding relationship between ACEs and later binge drinking. It is therefore important for the nursing community to identify which ACEs are associated with later binge drinking behavior. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to ACEs is predictive of later binge drinking, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS). Methods: Data were obtained from the 2011 BRFSS, an annual cross sectional survey. Four states utilized the ACE module and 52,836 met the inclusion criteria. Logistic regression and linear regression were used to determine whether 11 ACEs (Lived with depressed person, drinker, illegal drug user, jailed person, divorce, and whether parents hit each other, hit you, swear at you, touch you inappropriately, made you touch them, or have sex with them) are associated with self-reported binge drinking Results: Overall, 10 of 11 ACE variables (all except forced sex) were significant predictors of binge drinking and all 11 were significant predictors of binge drinking frequency (each p \u3c .05), either in isolation or after accounting for demographic variables. Further, the total number of ACE categories experienced was a significant predictor of binge drinking, such that each additional ACE category was associated with an additional 0.14 binge drinking event each month. Conclusions: ACEs increase the risk for later binge drinking. It is therefore important for the nursing community to include ACEs in the assessment at patient encounter when caring for patients with binge drinking problems