Gender and psychiatric comorbidity: Impact on clinical presentation of alcohol dependence

We examined differences in clinical presentation for outpatient alcohol tre atment in: 1) males and females, considering comorbidity; and 2) three como rbid groups, considering gender. Drinking indices and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse reports were compared in 127 male and 69 female alcohol-de pendent patients who have a current (36.2%) or lifetime (20.4%) psychiatric disorder or who never had a psychiatric disorder (43.4%). Females reported more emotional and physical abuse than males. Females reported drinking sm aller volumes of alcohol but on more days than males. All with current como rbidity, irrespective of gender, reported more days of heavy drinking than other groups. When evaluating drinking status, gender and comorbidity shoul d be considered.