March 3, 2026Open Access

Childhood Circumstances and Alcohol Consumption in Portuguese People Aged 50 and Over: An Analysis of the “Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe” Project

Key Points

Higher-risk alcohol consumption correlates with experiences of childhood abuse, emphasizing the lasting impact of early trauma.
Males exhibit more pronounced drinking patterns, showing a notable association with both low- and high-risk alcohol behavior.
Analysis based on data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe provides insight into lifestyle factors affecting older populations.
Further longitudinal studies are necessary to understand the complex relationships between childhood experiences and adult drinking behaviors.

Abstract

Physical abuse in childhood was associated with higher-risk alcohol consumption, while living in better housing conditions during these periods showed a protective association. Being male was strongly associated with both low- and higher-risk drinking patterns. Further studies, especially longitudinal ones, are needed to clarify the role of early-life circumstances in alcohol consumption.

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Cite This Study

Machado et al. (Wed,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69a75cafc6e9836116a25c1b https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.24100

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