Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Treated Alcoholics: A Comparison of Men and Women

Abstract

A survey of 229 male patients and 198 female patients who met lifetime DSM-III criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence was carried out in Toronto, Canada. The patients were evaluated with the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule and other substance abuse rating scales. The prevalence of individual alcohol and drug symptoms, the patterns of abuse, and the prevalence of drug disorders were compared in the two sexes. The study patients were younger than previous treatment samples and were more likely to have other drug disorders. While the overall prevalence of drug disorders was similar in male and female alcoholics, women were more likely to abuse sedatives and minor tranquilizers while men were more prone to the abuse of cannabis and tobacco. Men continue to be more likely to have social and occupational problems resulting from alcohol abuse, to start abusing alcohol earlier in their lives, to have been abusing for longer, and to report higher quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. With one or two exceptions, the sexes do not differ on other indicators of pathologic use, withdrawal or tolerance, medical sequelae or treatment history. While men have significantly more alcohol problems than women, as measured by the DIS and the MAST, these differences disappear when length of alcohol abuse history, antisocial personality disorder and employment status are controlled for. Similarly, when these variables are controlled for, women exhibit more symptoms of alcohol dependence as measured by the ADS. Women alcoholics come into treatment earlier in their alcoholic careers.