Recent Findings in Mental Health Diseases and Conditions Described by Researchers from National Health Insurance Service (The Net Effect of Positive Changes in Alcohol Consumption on Mental Health Among South Korean Adults): Mental Health Diseases and Conditions

2025 DEC 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Mental Health News Daily -- Investigators publish new report on Mental Health Diseases and Conditions. According to news reporting from Wonju, South Korea, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “This study investigates the net effects of positive changes in alcohol consumption-specifically, transitions from high-risk to moderate drinking-on mental health among Korean adults. We analyzed data from 2,238 Korean adults (3,439 person-wave observations) from the 2011-2013 and 2016-2018 waves of the Korea Health Panel Survey.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from National Health Insurance Service, “Participants were classified into a transitioned to moderate drinking group (study group) and a continuous high-risk drinking group (control group). To adjust for baseline equivalence between the groups, inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied. Mental health changes, measured using the Korean version of the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI-K), were analyzed using a difference-in-differences (DID) model with multiple regression. A preliminary analysis using independent and paired t-tests examined the treatment effect of moderate drinking on mental health, accounting for group differences, time changes, and their interaction. Results showed overall positive effects, with reductions in psychological and physical stress (-0.064, < 0.05), frustration (-0.016, n.s.), unmet needs (-0.047, < 0.1), future uncertainty (-0.101, < 0.001), and task-related stress (-0.024, n.s.). The overall BEPSI-K score also significantly decreased (-0.051, < 0.001). In the DID model with multiple regression, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, moderate drinking had a significant effect in reducing future uncertainty (coefficient = -0.049, < 0.001). The net positive effect of transitioning from high-risk to moderate drinking suggests meaningful improvements in mental health.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “These findings offer valuable evidence for refining drinking guidelines, informing mental health policies, and guiding future research.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: The Net Effect of Positive Changes in Alcohol Consumption on Mental Health Among South Korean Adults. Substance Use & Misuse, 2025:1-9. Substance Use & Misuse can be contacted at: Taylor & Francis Inc, 530 Walnut Street, Ste 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Tae-Hyeon Lee, Health Insurance Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, Wonju, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include Ji-Su Park, Chan-Young Kwon and Il-Su Park.

Publisher contact information for the journal Substance Use & Misuse is: Taylor & Francis Inc, 530 Walnut Street, Ste 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.

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