Alcohol Use Predicts 10-Year Depressive Symptom Trajectories in the Health and Retirement Study

Objective: To determine effects of late-middle-aged adults' baseline drinking behavior on their subsequent 10-year depressive symptom trajectories. Method: Health and Retirement Study participants (N = 7,939) were assessed on baseline demographic, health, and drinking characteristics, and biennially assessed for the next 10 years on their depressive symptoms. Results: Growth mixture modeling generated four classes of depressive symptom trajectories: Consistently low (72%), consistently elevated (6%), increasing (12%), and decreasing (10%). Baseline abstinence from alcohol, possibly enforced by poorer health and a history of drinking problems, and heavier drinking, binge drinking, and having a history of drinking problems, raised risk of membership in the consistently elevated class. Abstinence by participants without history of drinking problemsand light, moderate, and heavier drinkingprotected against membership in the increasing class. Abstinence by participants without history of drinking problems elevatedand moderate drinking reducedlikelihood of membership in the decreasing class. Discussion: Late-middle-aged adults' alcohol use is associated with the subsequent long-term course of their depressive symptoms.