Citation

Bohman M, Wennberg P, Andersson T. Scand. J. Public Health 2000; 28(4): 275-282.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Stockholm, Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Associations of Public Health in the Nordic Countries Regions, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11228115

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Using data from a prospective birth-to-maturity project, the study presents normally occurring variations in alcohol involvement of alcohol-related problems among a representative cohort of Swedish males in young middle age, born in a Swedish metropolitan area (n = 106). METHODS: Description and classification were based on an analysis of self-reported information (collected at about 36 years of age) about frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption (four-week timeline), self-reported alcohol-related symptoms, and registry data. RESULTS: According to a broad, operationally defined classification of "harmful drinking" (at least three alcohol-related symptoms, including alcohol-related crimes), 43 subjects (41%) had experienced a substantial drinking problem during their lifetime, to an extent that might warrant labels such as "alcoholism" or "hazardous drinking". About one-third of these misusers were currently using other drugs. Of the 106 subjects, 80 (75%) reported having had at least one alcohol-related symptom or problem at some time during their life. Taking various life events into account, including sociomedical circumstances and heavy consumption at 18 and 25 years, 23 subjects (22%) were classified as having a lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse/dependence according to DSM-III criteria. CONCLUSION: Problem drinking was largely unknown to the healthcare system and only a few subjects had received treatment. The results are discussed in the light of data from other national and international epidemiological surveys.

Language: en