title: Gender differences in lifetime alcohol dependence: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An extensive clinical literature has noted gender differences in the etiology and clinical characteristics of individuals with alcohol dependence (AD). Despite this knowledge, many important questions remain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the 2001 to 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n = 43,093), we examined differences in sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric and medical comorbidities, clinical correlates, risk factors, and treatment-utilization patterns of men (N = 2,974) and women (N = 1,807) with lifetime AD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men with lifetime AD were more likely than women to be diagnosed with any substance use disorder and antisocial personality disorder, whereas women were more likely to have mood and anxiety disorders. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and gender differences in psychiatric comorbidity in the general population, AD was associated with externalizing disorders and any mood disorder among women only. Men with AD met more criteria, had longer episodes, and were younger at the age of first drink. There were no gender differences in remission rates. Women with AD were more likely to have a family and a spouse with history of alcohol use disorders. Treatment rates were low for both genders, and women were more likely to report social stigmatization as a treatment barrier.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are important gender differences in the psychiatric comorbidities, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and treatment-utilization patterns among individuals with lifetime AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Sharaf
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Deborah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hasin
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Secades-Villa
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keyes
authors.forename: Keng-Han
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol Dependence; Epidemiology; Gender Differences; NESARC