Anxiety disorders and first alcohol use in the general population. Findings from a nationally representative sample

•Survival analysis modeled the relationship between anxiety disorders and age of first alcohol use.•Early onset anxiety disorders increased the odds of first alcohol use by 27%.•The effect is only significant after 13 years of age.•This relationship is significant even after controlling for confounding factors.

ObjectiveTo examine how early onset anxiety disorders are related to age of first alcohol use in a general population sample.MethodDiscrete time survival analysis was used to model the odds of first alcohol use among those with, vs without, early onset anxiety disorders. Data came from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.ResultsAfter adjusting for the effects of family history of alcohol/drug use, sex, age cohort and education, people who experienced an early onset anxiety disorder had a 27% increased odds of first alcohol use in any given year, when compared to those with no anxiety disorder. This effect was particularly strong for transitions to first alcohol use that occurred after the age of 13 years.ConclusionsEarly onset anxiety disorders significantly predict first alcohol use in the general population and this relationship appears to be related to change over time. These results point to the need for developmentally appropriate and integrated prevention programs that target anxiety and alcohol use together.