Abstract:
Alcohol is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. Over 50 countries have established low-risk drinking guidelines (LRDGs) in an attempt to mitigate alcohol-related harm. This study aims to evaluate Canada’s updated LRDG which was published in 2023. Specifically, this study investigates the association between alcohol consumption and mortality among Canadian drinkers aged 15 and older. Utilising data from three cycles (1.1: 2000/01, 2.1: 2003/04, and 3.1: 2005/06) of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) linked to administrative health data, this longitudinal cohort study covers a nationally representative sample with follow-up data for up to 17 years. The study includes 145,760 respondents (53% men, 46% women, MAge = 43.30, SDAge = 15.57) who reported alcohol consumption in the past week. Alcohol consumption was categorised according to the risk levels outlined in Canada's 2023 LRDG, with primary outcomes being all-cause mortality, alcohol-attributable mortality, and mortality due to conditions with an alcohol-attributable fraction (AAF) ≥ 15%. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between alcohol consumption and increased risk of all-cause mortality, alcohol-attributable mortality, and mortality due to conditions with a high AAF. Each additional standard drink per week increased the risk of death, with women experiencing a more pronounced increase in mortality risk compared to men. The results support the recommendations of the 2023 LRDG in Canada, emphasizing the need for lower alcohol consumption limits to mitigate health risks. Public health policies and educational campaigns should focus on increasing awareness and adherence to these guidelines to improve population health outcomes.
Biographical Sketch:
Dr. James Clay is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow holding a joint position between the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University and the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) at the University of Victoria. His research focuses on analysing the impact of alcohol policies to inform public health interventions, as well as examining how various individual differences can influence alcohol consumption.
James completed his education in the UK, receiving his PhD in Psychology from the University of Portsmouth with a thesis titled "The Impact of Impulse Control on Alcohol Use in the Context of Acute, Chronic, and Cumulative Lifetime Stress”. Prior to completing his PhD, he received BSc with first-class honours in Human Physiology from the University of Portsmouth, an MRes from the University of Portsmouth, and an MSc in Social Research Methods form the University of Southampton.
James is also committed to knowledge exchange and has extensive teaching experience at both undergraduate and graduate levels. For example, he worked as a Learning Development Tutor in Quantitative Skills at the University of Portsmouth from September 2022 to 2023, supporting students across the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences with research design and data analysis. Additionally, he has delivered content as a Distance Learning Tutor for the online MSc Psychology course at the University of Portsmouth since January 2023. Most recently, he has been teaching “PSYC 201: Research Methods” to undergraduate students at the University of Victoria and is set to overhaul the “PSYC 345A: Drugs and Behaviour” course in Spring 2025 after winning the competitive “President's Fellowship in Research-Enriched Teaching” from the University of Victoria.
