ABSTRACT
Objective
This study examined whether living with a family member with a health limitation is associated with alcohol use among midlife adults.
Background
Past research on family health limitations typically focused on caregiving, yet living with a family member with a health limitation may shape health behaviors even without direct caregiving responsibilities. Drawing on the life course perspective, this study explored how such family contexts are associated with alcohol use at midlife.
Method
Using longitudinal data (2008–2018) from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (N = 7892), fixed-effects models predicted four dimensions of alcohol use (any drinking, drinking frequency, drinks per occasion, and heavy drinking) by variables designating coresidence with a parent or child with health limitations for men and women.
Results
Living with a child with a health limitation was associated with more drinks per occasion and a higher probability of heavy drinking among men. The alcohol patterns related to living with a parent with a health limitation differed by gender, with more negative associations with heavy drinking among men than women.
Conclusion
Family members’ health limitations are associated with distinct roles and responsibilities that can either constrain or promote alcohol use. These findings underscore how health risks emerge through linked lives within families.