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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Women at risk for alcohol dependence may be slipping through the cracks.
A new study shows while men are more likely to have problems commonly associated with non-dependent drinking, women are prone to different alcohol-related problems that are less likely to be diagnosed.
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Researchers at the University of Minnesota wanted to see whether the criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence were as accurate for women as for men. They compared 1,348 men and 1,402 women with similar levels of alcohol problems.
The study looked at 105 symptoms associated with consuming alcohol, which was collected from data ranging from screening surveys to clinical assessments. Results show male-oriented symptoms such as binge drinking and violent behavior are the ones usually used to detect alcohol problems.
The authors question whether a separate, female-oriented measure is needed to effectively identify alcohol problems in women. For example, two of the symptoms female participants were more likely to report were depression and feelings of guilt about drinking alcohol. But neither one is included among the criteria used by psychologists and psychiatrists in the United States to diagnose alcohol dependence.
Experts in alcohol research say the study results are significant because women tend to progress more quickly than men from alcohol abuse to alcohol dependence and are less likely to be diagnosed.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2007;31: 783-794
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