Using the Bivariate Dale Model to jointly estimate predictors of frequency and quantity of alcohol use

Objective: This study demonstrates the usefulness of the Bivariate Dale Model (BDM) as a method for estimating the relationship between risk factors and the quantity and frequency of alcohol use, as well as the degree of association between these highly correlated drinking measures. Method: The BDM is used to evaluate childhood sexual abuse, along with age and gender, as risk factors for the quantity and frequency of beer consumption in a sample of driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders (N = 1,964; 1,612 men). The BDM allows one to estimate the relative odds of drinking up to each level of ordinal-scaled quantity and frequency of alcohol use, as well as model the degree of association between quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption as a function of covariates. Results: Individuals who experienced childhood sexual abuse have increased risks of higher quantity and frequency of beer consumption. History of childhood sexual abuse has a greater effect on women, causing them to drink higher quantities of beer per drinking occasion. Conclusions: The BDM is a useful method for evaluating predictors of the quantity-frequency of alcohol consumption. SAS macrocode for fitting the BDM model is provided.