Year: 1997 Source: American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, v.5, no.3, (Summer 1997), p.221-228 SIEC No: 20010750

Alcohol-related disorders, estimated to be more prevalent in the southern USA, are associated with serious comorbid disorders, such as depression & suicide. In a rural outreach program, patients with a diagnosis of alcoholism were examined & compared with nonalcoholic patients on various demographic & descriptive variables. Of 166 patients referred to the program, 35 had an alcohol-related disorder. Alcoholism was significantly associated with male gender & young age, but nearly half of the alcoholic subjects were women. Alcoholism was associated with inappropriate health-care utilization. Alcohol-related disorders produced significantly more emergency room visits & somewhat more hospital admissions. These patients were less likely to have a primary care physician. None of the patients were receiving treatment for alcoholism. (35 refs.)