Table 2.
Crude death rates and HRs of suicide death by alcohol consumption-related variables in the Korean elderly
| Variables | Classification | Person-years | Number of suicides | Crude suicide rate* (95% CI) | Unadjusted | Multivariable-adjusted | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| p Value | HR (95% CI) | p Value | HR† (95% CI) | |||||
| Alcohol intake status | Non-drinker | 61 066 | 28 | 46 (32 to 66) | 1.00 (Reference) | 1.00 (Reference) | ||
| Current drinker | 27 310 | 33 | 121 (86 to 170) | <0.001 | 2.88 (1.74 to 4.77) | 0.097 | 1.70 (0.91 to 3.17) | |
| Alcohol intake frequency | Non-drinker | 61 066 | 28 | 46 (32 to 66) | 1.00 (Reference) | 1.00 (Reference) | ||
| 4 or fewer days a month | 8737 | 6 | 69 (31 to 150) | 0.348 | 1.53 (0.63 to 3.68) | 0.747 | 1.16 (0.47 to 2.91) | |
| 2–6 days a week | 13 180 | 15 | 114 (69 to 188) | 0.002 | 2.76 (1.47 to 5.17) | 0.246 | 1.60 (0.72 to 3.52) | |
| Daily | 5393 | 12 | 223 (127 to 389) | <0.001 | 5.85 (2.97 to 11.6) | 0.003 | 3.62 (1.56 to 8.43) | |
| Alcohol intake frequency | One drinking day increase per week | 88 376 | 61 | 69 (54 to 89) | <0.001 | 1.26 (1.16 to 1.38) | 0.006 | 1.17 (1.05 to 1.31) |
| Alcohol intake amount, g alcohol/drinking day (drink/drinking day)‡ | Non-drinker | 61 066 | 28 | 46 (32 to 66) | 1.00 (Reference) | 1.00 (Reference) | ||
| Below 70 g (5 drinks) | 13 796 | 9 | 65 (34 to 124) | 0.260 | 1.54 (0.73 to 3.27) | 0.854 | 1.08 (0.48 to 2.45) | |
| 70–139 (5–9 drinks) | 9670 | 16 | 165 (102 to 269) | <0.001 | 3.95 (2.14 to 7.31) | 0.024 | 2.47 (1.12 to 5.41) | |
| 140 or over (≥10 drinks) | 3844 | 8 | 208 (105 to 410) | <0.001 | 5.15 (2.34 to 11.3) | 0.028 | 2.84 (1.12 to 7.18) | |
| Alcohol intake amount | 5-drink (70 g) increase per drinking day | 88 376 | 61 | 69 (54 to 89) | <0.001 | 1.58 (1.35 to 1.85) | 0.002 | 1.38 (1.13 to 1.7) |
| Alcohol intake amount, g alcohol/week (drink/week)‡ | Non-drinker | 61 066 | 28 | 46 (32 to 66) | 1.00 (Reference) | 1.00 (Reference) | ||
| Below 70 g (5 drinks) | 10 305 | 6 | 58 (27 to 127) | 0.548 | 1.31 (0.54 to 3.16) | 0.976 | 0.99 (0.39 to 2.49) | |
| 70–209 g (5–14 drinks) | 5605 | 5 | 89 (38 to 209) | 0.098 | 2.24 (0.86 to 5.8) | 0.526 | 1.42 (0.48 to 4.15) | |
| 210–419 g (15–29 drinks) | 4375 | 8 | 183 (93 to 360) | <0.001 | 4.53 (2.06 to 9.95) | 0.022 | 2.99 (1.17 to 7.61) | |
| 420 g or over (≥30 drinks) | 7025 | 14 | 199 (119 to 334) | <0.001 | 4.91 (2.58 to 9.34) | 0.012 | 2.93 (1.27 to 6.78) | |
| Alcohol intake amount | 140 g (10-drink) increase per week | 88 376 | 61 | 69 (54 to 89) | <0.001 | 1.16 (1.1 to 1.21) | <0.001 | 1.12 (1.06 to 1.19) |
*Death rate per 100 000 person-years.
†Adjusted for age at enrolment (continuous variable), sex (men, women), smoking status (current smoker, past smoker, never smoker), body mass index (kg/m2; <18.5, 18.5–24.9, ≥25), hypertension (measured blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or on regular medication; yes, no), self-rated health compared to the same age group (good or fair, poor), marital status (living with a spouse, not living with a spouse), education (ever, never) and occupation (non-agriculture, agriculture).
‡1 standard drink as around 14 g according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the USA.