[Influence of the family history of alcohol consumption in men and women].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the risk for alcohol abuse among individuals with a positive family history of alcohol abuse (FH+).


METHODS
The study population was a sample (n = 8,890) drawn from a 1988 national survey on addictions in Mexico City's urban population. Data analysis consisted of frequency and association measures, using family history of alcohol abuse as the exposure factor.


RESULTS
Prevalence of heavy drinking was 13.7% for males and 0.6% for females. Alcohol dependence syndrome was found in 9.9% of males and 0.6% of females. Men with HF+ were twice more likely to develop dependence syndrome than HF- males. The odds ratio for women was 1.27.


CONCLUSIONS
Differential patterns by gender were found for familial transmission of alcohol abuse; parental alcohol intake is a main risk factor for developing alcohol dependence syndrome.
Departamento de Investigaciones Psicosociales, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría (INP) Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, México, D.F., México. naterar@imp.edu.mx
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Natera-Rey
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Borges
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Medina-Mora Icaza
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Solís-Rojas
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Tiburcio-Sainz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors