Family history of alcohol dependence in Asian Americans.
A positive family history of alcoholism is one of the most consistent and powerful predictors of developing this disorder. Compared to other ethnic groups, Asian Americans, as a whole, report the lowest prevalence of family history of alcoholism, but differences in rates for Asian American subgroups have not been reported previously. This study assessed first- and second-degree family history of alcohol dependence in two Asian-American subgroups: individuals of Chinese (n = 142) and Korean (n = 152) heritage. As hypothesized, Korean Americans reported higher rates of first-degree family history of alcohol dependence than Chinese Americans. These findings highlight the heterogeneity in vulnerability to alcohol-related problems between Asian subgroups.
Ebberhart
Nicole C
NC
San Diego State University, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, California, USA.
Luczak
Susan E
SE
Avanecy
Nancy
N
Wall
Tamara L
TL
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D001213:Asian / Q000235:genetics*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology