LIFETIME ALCOHOL-ABUSE IN INSTITUTIONALIZED WORLD-WAR-II VETERANS

The authors document the lifetime prevalence and etiological correlate s of alcohol abuse in a sample of elderly World War II veterans. Subje cts (mean age 74.2 years), residing in a veterans' long-term care faci lity were given the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. A sec ond investigator gave the Modified Combat Exposure Scale and administe red a checklist of pre-war and wartime variables. The lifetime prevale nce of alcohol abuse was 53% There was no correlation between alcohol abuse and any other psychiatric diagnosis. There was a significant cor relation between the severity of combat stress and subsequent alcohol abuse. Veterans with alcohol abuse also had significantly more wartime head injuries. There was also a trend for the alcoholic group to have experienced more pre-war stressors. Examination of pre-war variables and the severity of the combat stress might help to identify veterans at risk for development of alcohol abuse.