Reasons why young adults do or do not seek help for alcohol problems.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate reasons for seeking or not seeking help for alcohol problems in young adults and to report outcomes in those with problems who thought they did not need help.


METHODS
A total of 1003 members of a birth cohort were interviewed at age 25 about the period since the previous interview at age 21. DSM-IV diagnoses were made from reports of alcohol problems over the previous 4 years. Treatment contact for drinking or problems associated with drinking and reasons for seeking or not seeking help were reported. Alcohol consumption was reported for the year before interview.


RESULTS
Alcohol-specific treatment contact was uncommon: 26 of 351 with any alcohol problems made contact (7%). Even in the subgroup with alcohol dependence, only 24% made contact (13/55). Most (19/26) sought treatment because they felt they needed it. Of those with problems who did not seek help or advice, nearly all (96%) thought they did not need help. Approximately one-quarter thought the problem would get better by itself (29%) or did not think to seek help (25%). No more than 5% reported any other attitudinal or practical reason. Outcomes in the year before interview for those who thought they did not need help showed that 75% continued to experience problems and almost all drank well above guidelines at least on their heaviest drinking occasion. Only 43% had attempted to quit or cut down on their drinking.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol-related problems were experienced by approximately one-third of these young adults but treatment contact for these problems was uncommon. Belief in ability to handle problems oneself was often not matched by action.
Wells
J Elisabeth
JE
Public Health and General Practice, University of Otago (Christchurch), Christchurch, New Zealand. elisabeth.wells@chmeds.ac.nz
Horwood
L John
LJ
Fergusson
David M
DM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires