ALCOHOL-ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE IN AN ICELANDIC COHORT AS ESTIMATED WITHTHE DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

This paper reports the period and lifetime prevalence rates for alcoho l abuse, alcohol dependence, and alcohol abuse and dependence in a ran dom sample of people born in Iceland in 1931 and interviewed at the ag e of 55-57 years. The diagnoses were made in accordance with the DSM-I II, on the basis of the National institute of Mental Health's Diagnost ic Interview Schedule (DIS) used by trained lay interviewers. The tota l lifetime prevalence was 27.5%: 45.6% for men but only 8.5% for women . The mean age of onset was 27.9 years for men and 41.9 years for wome n. The commonest symptoms of a pathologic pattern of alcohol use were having a blackout, 81%; drinking a fifth or more in 1 day, 68%; and en countering family opposition to drinking, 66%.