title: Alcohol use patterns among Brazilian adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe patterns of alcohol consumption in the adult Brazilian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicluster random sample of 2,346 subjects 18 years of age or older, selected nationwide. Interviews were conducted in respondents' homes between November 2005 and April 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 48% of the sample had not drunk alcoholic beverages in the past year, with variations by gender, age, marital status, education, income and region of the country. Among drinkers, 29% reported drinking 5 or more drinks per occasion (men, 38%). Sociodemographic variables are associated with the frequency and amount of drinking, alcohol problems, and alcohol abuse and dependence. Among the whole sample (including drinkers and non drinkers), 28% reported binge drinking, 25% reported at least one kind of alcohol related problem, 3% were alcohol abusers and another 9% were alcohol dependent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abstinence is high in the Brazilian population. However, elevated proportions of those who drink consume alcohol in a high risk pattern (binge-drinking), report a high level of alcohol problems, alcohol abuse and dependence. National public policies must consider these factors, as well as the regional Brazilian differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, SP, Brazil. laranjeira@unaid.org.br
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laranjeira
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinsky
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaleski
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caetano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult