On the Relationship of Socio-Economic Status and Risk Factors for Alcoholic Liver Disease in North China

BACKGROUND: The present article analyses the association between socioeconomic status (includes education, occupation, income and marriage) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) risk factors (age, gender, obesity, quantity and duration of alcohol intake, alcoholic beverages, drinking patterns) in Taishan area of Shandong province, to provide scientific basis for the prevention of alcoholic liver disease for the people who mostly need it in north China.

METHODS: Across-sectional survey of over 18--year-old inhabitants in Shandong Province in 2011 used multistage, randomized clustered sampling to identify 8186 subjects; 7295 (89.12%) of them were interviewed. Questionnaires, designed by co-working of epidemiologists and hepatologists, included demographic characteristics, current medication use, medical history and health-relevant behaviors, i.e. alcohol consumption, dietary habits and physical activities. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical tests and abdominal ultrasonography were carried out. The sample was determined by Chi-square test, covariance analysis and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: Because of the small number of female drinkers, alcoholic liver disease prevalence of female was obviously lower than that of male, the very study of the male drinkers is more meaningful and can be represent the whole drinkers group to some extent. Among the four socio-economic status (SES) indicators the marriage status seemed to be the most influential factor. People (men or women) without spouse had higher risk of alcoholic liver disease risk factors than those who had spouse. The risk of people who have different occupation is different. The higher education was associated with risk of ALD.

CONCLUSION: Marriage status seemed to be the most important measure of the socioeconomic indicators in relation to the alcoholic liver disease risk factors in the study of population. There is obvious relation between occupation status and alcoholic liver disease risk factors in men. The lower occupation had higher alcoholic liver disease risk factors. People with higher income and education had higher levels of drinking risk factors and lower level of obesity risk factors.