The spread of alcohol consumption behavior in a large social network.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Alcohol consumption has important health-related consequences and numerous biological and social determinants.

Objective

To explore quantitatively whether alcohol consumption behavior spreads from person to person in a large social network of friends, coworkers, siblings, spouses, and neighbors, followed for 32 years.

Design

Longitudinal network cohort study.

Setting

The Framingham Heart Study.

Participants

12 067 persons assessed at several time points between 1971 and 2003.

Measurements

Self-reported alcohol consumption (number of drinks per week on average over the past year and number of days drinking within the past week) and social network ties, measured at each time point.

Results

Clusters of drinkers and abstainers were p

SUBMITTER: Rosenquist JN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3343772 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature