title: The prevalence of problem drinking in Northern Ireland: a population study.
abstract: A total of 3 755 individuals constituting 85.5% of a stratified random sample of all Northern Ireland electors were interviewed about their drinking patterns as the major element in a community health study. It was found that, according to pre-determined criteria, 11.2 per 1 000 were alcoholics and another 28.5 per 1 000 were substantially preoccupied with alcohol, giving an estimated provincial total of 40 000 (+/- 3 300) abnormal drinkers. Using appropriate multivariate statistical methods the prevalence of problem drinking was found to depend (in rank order of importance) on sex, age, religious denomination and area of residence.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland; D012737:Sex Factors