The influence of social circumstances on ‘Risky’ patterns of alcohol consumption among mothers with pre-school aged children in England.

Background Social factors have been linked to patterns of alcohol use among women. However, conflicting evidence on the ways in which socio-economic circumstances are linked to women’s alcohol use impedes our understanding. Interest in women’s alcohol use has moved up the policy agenda. Nevertheless, existing research fails to attend to differences among groups of women according to their social circumstances, including whether or not they are mothers. Objectives This study aims to enhance our understanding of ‘risky’ patterns of alcohol use among mothers in the UK during very early motherhood. Methods Secondary analyses of 2000/1 data from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) was undertaken. Using a broad outcome measure of ‘risky’ alcohol use, patterns of consumption among a sub-set of mothers recruited in England (n = 7048) were explored according to a number of social and domestic variables. Using logistic regression, mutually adjusted analyses that included adjustment for age were undertaken. Odds ratios were calculated for the likelihood of ‘risky’ drinking according to mothers’ social circumstances and level of disadvantage. Results ‘Risky’ alcohol use was more likely with increased levels of disadvantage: disadvantaged childhood circumstances, lower levels of educational attainment, lower household income, younger age at first birth, lone parenthood. Conclusions Social gradients were evident for ‘risky’ alcohol use among mothers with 9 month old babies in England who took part in the MCS. These findings emphasise the importance of exploring patterns of alcohol use among sub-groups of the population that are currently under-represented in the research literature.