Citation

Reid SC, Ukoumunne OC, Coffey C, Teesson M, Carlin JB, Patton GC. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Psychiatry 2007; 41(5): 436-441.

Affiliation

Centre for Adolescent Health. 2 Gatehouse Street, Parkville, Vic. 3052. Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1080/00048670701264784

PMID

17464736

Abstract

Objective: To examine the extent to which excessive drinking in young adults is associated with alcohol abuse and dependence. Method: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from the eighth wave of the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study, which comprised 1943 Victorians currently aged 24-25 years drawn from 44 secondary schools across the state in 1992. The main outcome measures of interest were short-term risk drinking status (based on daily alcohol consumption) and long-term risk drinking status (based on total weekly alcohol consumption). Results: Two out of 5 participants drank at moderate to high risk levels for short-term harm. Yet, because young people tend to drink on only 1-2 days a week, fewer (22%) were at moderate to high risk for long-term harm. Although 20% of the participants met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence, most of those in the moderate- to high-risk drinking categories were not diagnosed with either alcohol disorder. Conclusion: Excessive alcohol use in one or two sessions a week appears to be common in young Australian adults. While short- and long-term risky drinking is more common in those with an alcohol use disorder, the majority of moderate- and high-risk drinking is done by those who do not meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder.

Language: en