The consequences of addiction can be emotionally, physically, and psychologically impactful on both the person experiencing it as well as their family and friends. This study used a large-scale general population sample to examine the prevalence of family members with a family history of addiction and its link to their health and depression.
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Over 100 million adults worldwide are affected by a family member experiencing addiction. Impacts can extend to all facets of life, including physical and mental health, quality of life, crime, violence, aggression, and injuries. As proximity to the affected individual increases one’s chances of experiencing addiction-related harm, including later experiencing addiction oneself, having a family member with addiction can be especially risky for adverse consequences. Research on how substance use disorder impacts family members can highlight and inform clinical and community health needs for these individuals.
Although previous studies have examined the effects of addictive disorders on family members, there is a lack of information about the prevalence of this at a population level and the severity of associated consequences among that sample. This study used a large-scale general population sample in Germany to examine the prevalence of family members with a family history of addiction. The study also examined whether the timing of a family member’s addictive disorder (within the last 12 months versus prior to that), influenced their own self-reported health and depression.
This study used data from the nationwide, cross-sectional German Health Update Survey collected from 2014-2015 (N = 24,824). The survey collects data from individuals ages 15 and older.
In this analysis, the authors used questions on family history of addictive disorders including whether one has “a family member suffering from an addictive disorder (except tobacco)”, which type of addiction their family member experienced (i.e., addiction to alcohol, cannabis, other drugs, prescription drugs, pathological gambling, or other), and the nature of the relationship with the addicted person (parent, child, spouse, etc.). The authors also used the following information collected from the survey: sex, marital status, education level, alcohol consumption, number of heavy episodic drinking episodes, smoking status, depression (using a score of 10+ on the Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-8, to determine the presence of clinical depression), and self-rated health. In the analysis, the authors examined the unique relationship between family history of addiction and (1) self-rated health and (2) depression while controlling for the other survey factors. Sampling weights to ensure representativeness of the sampled population were used in the analysis.
Of the sample of 24,565 participants used in this analysis, most did not have a family history of addiction (n = 21,163). This group was slightly older, comprised of fewer females and smokers, and engaged in less risk and binge drinking than the group with a family history of addiction.
14% of the sample experienced addiction in their family.
While 14% of the sample reported they felt that a family member had experienced addiction, 9.5% experienced this within the past year and 4.5% reported that the addictive disorder was not active within the past year. Of this group who reported experiencing addiction through a family member, the majority (about 80%) had just one relative with an addictive disorder. The remaining reported two (about 14%), three (about 5%), or four or more (2%) relatives. Most of this group reported a family member who had experienced alcohol addiction (about 81%), with the remaining reported cannabis (about 17%), other illicit drugs (about 12%), or other substances or gambling (about 2%).
Individuals who experienced addiction in their family were more likely to report poor health and depression.
In models that controlled for sex, age, education level, marital status, and drinking and smoking behavior, the odds of reporting low self-rated health were about 1.6 times as large in the group currently experiencing a family member with addiction and about 1.3 times as large in the group who had experienced this prior to the past year compared to the group with no family history of addiction. Similarly, the odds of reporting depression were about 2.4 times as large in the group currently experiencing a family member with addiction and about 1.9 times as large in the group who had experienced this prior to the past year compared to the group with no family history of addiction.
This large-scale, population-based, and cross-sectional study in Germany helps us understand the prevalence of family addiction as well as some potential health experiences for family members of those with addiction.
Similar to the US experience, approximately 14% of the population in Germany reported experiencing a family member with an addiction, such as through a partner, parent, child, sibling, or another type of relative. Most of this group reported experiencing this situation within the past 12 months. Notably, this was associated with higher odds of both low health and greater depression, which was exacerbated for those with experience of a family member with addiction in the past year compared to those who had experienced this over a year ago. Although the effect sizes were relatively small, they do indicate increased potential for negative consequences among family members of those experiencing addiction. Thus, it is important for clinical and recovery support services to offer outreach and programming to support families in seeking help for themselves even if their loved one experiencing addiction does not engage in services. Engaging family members in this way may also help disrupt dysfunctional communication and behavior patterns within couples and families and open the door to engaging the affected individual in treatment and providing them with better intervention and support.
The potentially differential effects relating to family relationships were not reported in the paper and it is unclear whether these will be examined and reported in future work from this study. For example, the degree to which negative consequences varied by family relationship or the type of substance addiction in the affected family member may reveal significant nuances that have implications for helping family members.
As mentioned above, this was also a cross-sectional sample, so the nature of any causal link between family addiction experiences and health and depression outcomes remains unclear. Thus, the exact nature of the link between family addiction and negative outcomes needs to be clarified in longitudinal studies that account for these other factors.
In this nationally-representative study of over 24,000 German residents, the researchers found that 1 in 7 had a family member with an addiction, and most of these had a family member experiencing addiction in the past year. Of those who had a family member experiencing addiction, they were more likely to report lower levels of good health and more depression, a finding elevated in those with a family member who had experienced addiction within the past year.
Bischof, G., Bischof, A., Velleman, R., Orford, J., Kuhnert, R., Allen, J., … & Rumpf, H. J. (2022). Prevalence and self‐rated health and depression of family members affected by addictive disorders: results of a nation‐wide cross‐sectional study. Addiction, 117(12), 3140-3147. doi: 10.1111/add.15960
l
Over 100 million adults worldwide are affected by a family member experiencing addiction. Impacts can extend to all facets of life, including physical and mental health, quality of life, crime, violence, aggression, and injuries. As proximity to the affected individual increases one’s chances of experiencing addiction-related harm, including later experiencing addiction oneself, having a family member with addiction can be especially risky for adverse consequences. Research on how substance use disorder impacts family members can highlight and inform clinical and community health needs for these individuals.
Although previous studies have examined the effects of addictive disorders on family members, there is a lack of information about the prevalence of this at a population level and the severity of associated consequences among that sample. This study used a large-scale general population sample in Germany to examine the prevalence of family members with a family history of addiction. The study also examined whether the timing of a family member’s addictive disorder (within the last 12 months versus prior to that), influenced their own self-reported health and depression.
This study used data from the nationwide, cross-sectional German Health Update Survey collected from 2014-2015 (N = 24,824). The survey collects data from individuals ages 15 and older.
In this analysis, the authors used questions on family history of addictive disorders including whether one has “a family member suffering from an addictive disorder (except tobacco)”, which type of addiction their family member experienced (i.e., addiction to alcohol, cannabis, other drugs, prescription drugs, pathological gambling, or other), and the nature of the relationship with the addicted person (parent, child, spouse, etc.). The authors also used the following information collected from the survey: sex, marital status, education level, alcohol consumption, number of heavy episodic drinking episodes, smoking status, depression (using a score of 10+ on the Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-8, to determine the presence of clinical depression), and self-rated health. In the analysis, the authors examined the unique relationship between family history of addiction and (1) self-rated health and (2) depression while controlling for the other survey factors. Sampling weights to ensure representativeness of the sampled population were used in the analysis.
Of the sample of 24,565 participants used in this analysis, most did not have a family history of addiction (n = 21,163). This group was slightly older, comprised of fewer females and smokers, and engaged in less risk and binge drinking than the group with a family history of addiction.
14% of the sample experienced addiction in their family.
While 14% of the sample reported they felt that a family member had experienced addiction, 9.5% experienced this within the past year and 4.5% reported that the addictive disorder was not active within the past year. Of this group who reported experiencing addiction through a family member, the majority (about 80%) had just one relative with an addictive disorder. The remaining reported two (about 14%), three (about 5%), or four or more (2%) relatives. Most of this group reported a family member who had experienced alcohol addiction (about 81%), with the remaining reported cannabis (about 17%), other illicit drugs (about 12%), or other substances or gambling (about 2%).
Individuals who experienced addiction in their family were more likely to report poor health and depression.
In models that controlled for sex, age, education level, marital status, and drinking and smoking behavior, the odds of reporting low self-rated health were about 1.6 times as large in the group currently experiencing a family member with addiction and about 1.3 times as large in the group who had experienced this prior to the past year compared to the group with no family history of addiction. Similarly, the odds of reporting depression were about 2.4 times as large in the group currently experiencing a family member with addiction and about 1.9 times as large in the group who had experienced this prior to the past year compared to the group with no family history of addiction.
This large-scale, population-based, and cross-sectional study in Germany helps us understand the prevalence of family addiction as well as some potential health experiences for family members of those with addiction.
Similar to the US experience, approximately 14% of the population in Germany reported experiencing a family member with an addiction, such as through a partner, parent, child, sibling, or another type of relative. Most of this group reported experiencing this situation within the past 12 months. Notably, this was associated with higher odds of both low health and greater depression, which was exacerbated for those with experience of a family member with addiction in the past year compared to those who had experienced this over a year ago. Although the effect sizes were relatively small, they do indicate increased potential for negative consequences among family members of those experiencing addiction. Thus, it is important for clinical and recovery support services to offer outreach and programming to support families in seeking help for themselves even if their loved one experiencing addiction does not engage in services. Engaging family members in this way may also help disrupt dysfunctional communication and behavior patterns within couples and families and open the door to engaging the affected individual in treatment and providing them with better intervention and support.
The potentially differential effects relating to family relationships were not reported in the paper and it is unclear whether these will be examined and reported in future work from this study. For example, the degree to which negative consequences varied by family relationship or the type of substance addiction in the affected family member may reveal significant nuances that have implications for helping family members.
As mentioned above, this was also a cross-sectional sample, so the nature of any causal link between family addiction experiences and health and depression outcomes remains unclear. Thus, the exact nature of the link between family addiction and negative outcomes needs to be clarified in longitudinal studies that account for these other factors.
In this nationally-representative study of over 24,000 German residents, the researchers found that 1 in 7 had a family member with an addiction, and most of these had a family member experiencing addiction in the past year. Of those who had a family member experiencing addiction, they were more likely to report lower levels of good health and more depression, a finding elevated in those with a family member who had experienced addiction within the past year.
Bischof, G., Bischof, A., Velleman, R., Orford, J., Kuhnert, R., Allen, J., … & Rumpf, H. J. (2022). Prevalence and self‐rated health and depression of family members affected by addictive disorders: results of a nation‐wide cross‐sectional study. Addiction, 117(12), 3140-3147. doi: 10.1111/add.15960
l
Over 100 million adults worldwide are affected by a family member experiencing addiction. Impacts can extend to all facets of life, including physical and mental health, quality of life, crime, violence, aggression, and injuries. As proximity to the affected individual increases one’s chances of experiencing addiction-related harm, including later experiencing addiction oneself, having a family member with addiction can be especially risky for adverse consequences. Research on how substance use disorder impacts family members can highlight and inform clinical and community health needs for these individuals.
Although previous studies have examined the effects of addictive disorders on family members, there is a lack of information about the prevalence of this at a population level and the severity of associated consequences among that sample. This study used a large-scale general population sample in Germany to examine the prevalence of family members with a family history of addiction. The study also examined whether the timing of a family member’s addictive disorder (within the last 12 months versus prior to that), influenced their own self-reported health and depression.
This study used data from the nationwide, cross-sectional German Health Update Survey collected from 2014-2015 (N = 24,824). The survey collects data from individuals ages 15 and older.
In this analysis, the authors used questions on family history of addictive disorders including whether one has “a family member suffering from an addictive disorder (except tobacco)”, which type of addiction their family member experienced (i.e., addiction to alcohol, cannabis, other drugs, prescription drugs, pathological gambling, or other), and the nature of the relationship with the addicted person (parent, child, spouse, etc.). The authors also used the following information collected from the survey: sex, marital status, education level, alcohol consumption, number of heavy episodic drinking episodes, smoking status, depression (using a score of 10+ on the Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-8, to determine the presence of clinical depression), and self-rated health. In the analysis, the authors examined the unique relationship between family history of addiction and (1) self-rated health and (2) depression while controlling for the other survey factors. Sampling weights to ensure representativeness of the sampled population were used in the analysis.
Of the sample of 24,565 participants used in this analysis, most did not have a family history of addiction (n = 21,163). This group was slightly older, comprised of fewer females and smokers, and engaged in less risk and binge drinking than the group with a family history of addiction.
14% of the sample experienced addiction in their family.
While 14% of the sample reported they felt that a family member had experienced addiction, 9.5% experienced this within the past year and 4.5% reported that the addictive disorder was not active within the past year. Of this group who reported experiencing addiction through a family member, the majority (about 80%) had just one relative with an addictive disorder. The remaining reported two (about 14%), three (about 5%), or four or more (2%) relatives. Most of this group reported a family member who had experienced alcohol addiction (about 81%), with the remaining reported cannabis (about 17%), other illicit drugs (about 12%), or other substances or gambling (about 2%).
Individuals who experienced addiction in their family were more likely to report poor health and depression.
In models that controlled for sex, age, education level, marital status, and drinking and smoking behavior, the odds of reporting low self-rated health were about 1.6 times as large in the group currently experiencing a family member with addiction and about 1.3 times as large in the group who had experienced this prior to the past year compared to the group with no family history of addiction. Similarly, the odds of reporting depression were about 2.4 times as large in the group currently experiencing a family member with addiction and about 1.9 times as large in the group who had experienced this prior to the past year compared to the group with no family history of addiction.
This large-scale, population-based, and cross-sectional study in Germany helps us understand the prevalence of family addiction as well as some potential health experiences for family members of those with addiction.
Similar to the US experience, approximately 14% of the population in Germany reported experiencing a family member with an addiction, such as through a partner, parent, child, sibling, or another type of relative. Most of this group reported experiencing this situation within the past 12 months. Notably, this was associated with higher odds of both low health and greater depression, which was exacerbated for those with experience of a family member with addiction in the past year compared to those who had experienced this over a year ago. Although the effect sizes were relatively small, they do indicate increased potential for negative consequences among family members of those experiencing addiction. Thus, it is important for clinical and recovery support services to offer outreach and programming to support families in seeking help for themselves even if their loved one experiencing addiction does not engage in services. Engaging family members in this way may also help disrupt dysfunctional communication and behavior patterns within couples and families and open the door to engaging the affected individual in treatment and providing them with better intervention and support.
The potentially differential effects relating to family relationships were not reported in the paper and it is unclear whether these will be examined and reported in future work from this study. For example, the degree to which negative consequences varied by family relationship or the type of substance addiction in the affected family member may reveal significant nuances that have implications for helping family members.
As mentioned above, this was also a cross-sectional sample, so the nature of any causal link between family addiction experiences and health and depression outcomes remains unclear. Thus, the exact nature of the link between family addiction and negative outcomes needs to be clarified in longitudinal studies that account for these other factors.
In this nationally-representative study of over 24,000 German residents, the researchers found that 1 in 7 had a family member with an addiction, and most of these had a family member experiencing addiction in the past year. Of those who had a family member experiencing addiction, they were more likely to report lower levels of good health and more depression, a finding elevated in those with a family member who had experienced addiction within the past year.
Bischof, G., Bischof, A., Velleman, R., Orford, J., Kuhnert, R., Allen, J., … & Rumpf, H. J. (2022). Prevalence and self‐rated health and depression of family members affected by addictive disorders: results of a nation‐wide cross‐sectional study. Addiction, 117(12), 3140-3147. doi: 10.1111/add.15960
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