@article{ref1,
title="Women ending marriage to a problem drinking partner decrease their own risk for problem drinking",
journal="Addiction",
year="2012",
author="Smith, Philip H. and Homish, Gregory G. and Leonard, Kenneth E. and Cornelius, Jack R.",
volume="107",
number="8",
pages="1453-1461",
abstract="Aims:  Marital dissolution is associated with increased risk of problematic drinking. However, marriage to a problem drinker also increases this risk, and ending this type of relationship may actually decrease risk of problematic drinking. This study tested whether women ending their marriage to a problem drinker exhibited improvements in drinking. Design:  National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a two-wave nationally representative survey of the U.S. adult population. Setting:  In-person interviews conducted in U.S. households. Participants:  Females married or living as if married at wave one at least 18 years of age). Measurements:  Sociodemographics, drinking frequency, drinking quantity, alcohol use disorders, problem drinking, partner problem drinking, and relationship dissolution. Findings:  Ending marriage to a non-problem drinker predicted increased frequency of drinking (risk ratio [RR]= 1.55; 95% CI = 1.43, 1.67), heavier drinking (RR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.71, 1.45), more problematic drinking (RR = 2.45; 95% CI = 2.17, 2.77), and a greater likelihood of use disorder diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]= 2.2; 95% CI = 1.67, 2.91). Ending a relationship with a problem drinker predicted less frequent drinking (RR = 0.94; 95% CI = 0.90, 0.98), less heavy drinking (RR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.78, 0.90), and fewer alcohol related problems (RR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.62, 0.95). Conclusions:  Ending a marriage with a husband who drinks problematically may decrease risk of alcohol related problems among women, substantiating the need for alcohol treatments to address a problem drinking partner.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0965-2140",
doi="10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03840.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03840.x"
}