Alcohol drinking patterns and prevalence of alcohol-abuse and dependence in the Israel National Health Survey.
BACKGROUND
Coexistence of disparate religious/cultural mores with regard to alcohol drinking within the changing social milieu of Israel provides an informative environment for investigation of alcohol consumption patterns and alcohol-related mental disorders.


METHODS
A national population-based survey of Israeli adults was conducted as part of the WHO/World Mental Health Survey initiative. Logistic regression models accommodated the complex sampling design and accounted for potential confounders.


RESULTS
Half of the 4,859 respondents reported any alcohol consumption in the year prior to interview; 5% drink 3 or more times weekly. DSM-IV criteria for alcohol-abuse or dependence (lifetime) were met by 4.3% of respondents. Significantly higher rates were found among males (AOR, adjusted odds ratio=7.3), younger adults (AOR=5.0), immigrants from the former Soviet Union (AOR=2.0), and those who were never married (AOR=1.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Under-reporting remains a potential concern in health behavior surveys, particularly in the face of opposing religious norms.


CONCLUSIONS
The lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse in Israel is identical to other European countries while drinking levels are considerably lower, suggesting a biological sensitivity alongside socio-cultural factors.
Neumark
Yehuda D
YD
Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel. yehudan@ekmd.huji.ac.il
Lopez-Quintero
Catalina
C
Grinshpoon
Alexander
A
Levinson
Daphna
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence