Comparison of alcohol consumption patterns and social problems between women and men drink-drivers.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of alcohol consumption and driving histories of women and men drink-drivers.


METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study.


METHODS
All 156 women who attended the Drink-Drive Program at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, between January 1990 and December 1993, and an age-matched sample of 298 men attending in the same period. All had been disqualified from driving after a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol.


METHODS
Self-reported weekly alcohol consumption and expenditure on alcohol at apprehension and during the program; blood alcohol level (BAL) at apprehension; demographic characteristics; number of previous drink-drive and other traffic convictions; and score on the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST).


RESULTS
Women had a higher educational level than men, and were more likely to be managers or professionals and to live in areas of high socioeconomic status. Women reported lower levels of weekly alcohol consumption at both apprehension (women: 15.2 standard drinks; men: 31.6 standard drinks) and during the program (women: 7.1 standard drinks; men: 12.0 standard drinks) but had similar BALs to men at apprehension (mean, 0.12% [26 mmol/L]). Sixty percent of women drank wine, or wine, beer and spirits, while 75% of men drank beer. Women had lower MAST scores than men (mean [standard deviation]: women, 5.8 [5.2]; men, 8.9 [8.2]). Women were less likely than men to have prior convictions for drink-driving or other traffic offences.


CONCLUSIONS
Although women presented with similar blood alcohol levels to men, their drinking patterns and sociodemographic characteristics differ greatly. Health education for women drink-drivers needs to have a different strategy to that for men.
Rogers
D M
DM
Department of Drug and Alcohol Studies, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC.
Gijsbers
A J
AJ
Raymond
A
A
McMahon
J F
JF
Whelan
G
G
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria
D000431:Ethanol