Table 3.

Estimated mean cognitive change (95% CI) from baseline to 3-year follow-up in each alcohol consumption group

	Non-drinkers	Light to moderate drinkers (≤10 for women and ≤15 drinks/week for men)	Heavy drinkers (≥11 for women and ≥16 drinks/week for men)
Overall sample	−0.83 (−1.05, −0.60)	−0.41 (−0.56, −0.27)	−0.05 (−0.61, 0.52)
Low functional status	−1.48 (−2.06, −0.89)	−0.99 (−1.54, −0.44)	−0.31 (−2.26, 1.65)
High functional status	−0.69 (−0.93, −0.44)	−0.37 (−0.52, −0.22)	0.04 (−0.53, 0.62)
	Comparing heavy drinkers at baseline to all other groups
	Overall sample
Baseline	ns	ns	Reference
Follow-up	−0.75 (−1.14, −0.37)	−0.35 (−0.71, 0.0)	ns
	Low functional status
Baseline	ns	ns	Reference
Follow-up	−1.96 (−3.06, −0.85)	−1.46 (−2.56, −0.36)	ns
	High functional status
Baseline	ns	ns	Reference
Follow-up	−0.51 (−0.91, −0.10)	ns	ns

Estimates are adjusted for age, gender, education, marital status, income, area of residence deprivation, social support, number of daily hassles, number of chronic conditions, the presence of depression and anxiety, psychotropic drug use, ambulatory visits in previous year of interview and smoking status, exercise, and functional status, and type of primary care practice subjects were recruited in.

*NS: not significantly different from reference group, P > 0.05.