ALCOHOL-USE AMONG PRIMARY-CARE PATIENTS - COMPARING AN HMO WITH COUNTY CLINICS AND THE GENERAL-POPULATION

A probability sample of all patients seen in the four health maintenan ce organization (HMO) primary care clinics in one Northern California county (N = 314) are compared to patients from all five of the county- operated primary care clinics in the same county (N = 394) and to the general population of the county (N = 3069) on demographic characteris tics, drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems. The HMO clinic p atients were less likely to report frequent, heavy drinking, drunkenne ss or alcohol-related problems during the last year compared to those in the county clinics sample, and they were also less likely to report heavy and problem drinking compared to those in the general populatio n. These data suggest problem drinking may not be over-represented in primary care practice in general, but rather may be more closely assoc iated with characteristics of clientele served by a primary care pract ice than with those characteristics associated with a need for medical attention.