Socioeconomic factors associated with drinking patterns - results from 2023 European Social Survey

Abstract Introduction Alcohol consumption has been linked to around 200 health conditions and poses greater risks for vulnerable populations. This study aims to examine the association between alcohol consumption patterns and socioeconomic factors. Methods This study used pooled data from Round 11 of the European Social Survey, comprising 38,372 respondents aged 15+ from 24 European countries. Country-specific prevalence rates of drinking patterns were estimated. A multilevel ordinal logistic regression assessed associations between gender, age, employment, education, and alcohol consumption. Results In 2023, the highest percentages of frequent drinkers were found in the Netherlands (32.6%) and Belgium (31.1%), whereas moderate drinkers were more prevalent in Norway (52.8%) and Sweden (52.2%). The regression model indicated that female gender was positively associated with alcohol consumption (aOR=2.95, p < 0.001). Secondary and tertiary education were found to be a protective factor compared to primary education (aOR=0.77 and aOR=0.68, p < 0.001). Most older 10-year age groups also showed a protective effect compared to the 15-25 group, except the 85+ group. Being self-employed (aOR=0.88, p < 0.001) was negatively associated with alcohol intake compared to being employed. Discussion Overall, 15 out of 24 countries reported a combined prevalence of frequent and moderate drinking patterns over 50%. Gender differences in drinking patterns were observed, while older age and being employed appear to have a protective effect. Higher educational attainment was associated with increased alcohol consumption, highlighting the need for inclusive, population-wide strategies that also address highly educated groups. Given the cultural acceptance and affordability of alcohol, effective evidence-based policies are urgently required, including targeted preventive interventions and social policies. Key messages • More than half of European countries report high combined prevalence of frequent and moderate drinking patterns in 2023, potentially linked to cultural acceptance and affordability of alcohol. • Effective evidence-based policies are urgently required to enhance public awareness, including implementation of targeted campaigns and alcohol labelling interventions.