Women ending marriage to a problem drinking partner decrease their own risk for problem drinking

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 US adult population. Setting In-person interviews conducted in US households. Participants Females married or living as if married at wave 1 at least 18 years of age. Measurements Socio-demographics, 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% confidence interval (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.