Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 January 2018
Misinterpretation in major surveys of alcohol use disorder as described by DSM-IV (Hasin et al, 2007) has raised serious questions regarding the extent of alcohol use disorder, and the relationship between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. While the adverse social, physical and mental effects of alcohol misuse are well known (Council on Scientific Affairs, 1996), there is little information on the determinants of alcohol abuse (societal impact) and alcohol dependence (physiological impact). We therefore examined their separate and combined associations with demographic, social and health characteristics in a representative community-resident sample aged 60 years and over. We hypothesised that, while for each of the three groups (those with alcohol abuse, those with alcohol dependence, and those with both) there would be associated demographic characteristics, abuse would be more closely associated with social characteristics, dependence with health characteristics, and the combined presence of abuse and dependence with both social and health characteristics.
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