title: Prevalence and Trends in Alcohol Dependence and Alcohol Use Disorders in Japanese Adults; Results from Periodical Nationwide Surveys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nationwide surveys to clarify the characteristics and trends of the drinking behavior of Japanese adults were carried out in 2003, 2008, and 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  These were periodical cross-sectional surveys. Subjects were chosen through a stratified two-stage random sampling method. The surveys included drinking frequency and amount, ICD-10 alcoholism diagnostic standards, questionnaire for the determination of harmful alcohol use (
  Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). In 2003, the surveys obtained responses from 2547 people (73% response rate); in 2008, 4123 people (55% response rate); and in 2013, 4153 people (59% response rate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of lifetime experience of alcohol dependence diagnosed by ICD-10 was 1.9% for male and 0.2% for female, and the estimated number of patients was 1.07 million. The declining trends were observed in the percentage of daily drinkers and the amount of alcohol consumed per week for male. The lowering of the age for consuming their first alcoholic drink and their first drunken experience was observed among female. The gender difference of prevalence of problem drinking is getting smaller. The binge drinking and heavy episodic drinking were observed especially younger generation. The only small proportion of patients with alcohol dependence had received specialized medical care, whereas the many of these visited medical institutions and health screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey observed many hidden alcoholic patients, and showed the possibility that the healthcare facilities and health screening became the place of screening and intervention for alcohol dependence.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Tottori, Japan yoneatsu@med.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoneatsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Tottori, Japan.
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kinjo
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Alcohol Center, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Hizen Psychiatric Center, Yoshinogari, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Takefumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yuzuriha
authors.affiliation: Sanno Medical Center, Clinical Research Centers for Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Alcohol Center, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.affiliation: Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Majors of Medical Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaragi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult