GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MEDICAL PRESENTATION AND DETECTION OF PATIENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ALCOHOL-ABUSE OR DEPENDENCE

Women and men with alcohol use disorders differ in many respects. A re trospective medical record review of 132 patients was performed to det ermine outpatient clinic utilization, presentation patterns and physic ian actions related to patient gender and lifetime DIS-status. Women, irrespective of DIS-status, utilized outpatient health care services m ore often than did DIS-positive or negative men. Of 16 specific alcoho l-related complaints, gender differences were only detected for trauma . DIS-positive men were more likely to have had an alcohol history tak en during the preceding 12 months than were DIS-positive women. Sedati ves/minor tranquilizers were most often prescribed to DIS-positive wom en. This study supports the need in primary care settings for more scr eening to detect and diagnose alcohol-abusing patients, particularly w omen. Physicians should routinely screen for alcohol abuse before pres cribing sedatives or minor tranquilizers.