Alcohol: adult problem drinking

Approximately 1 in 8 men and 1 in 10 women in Scotland may have alcohol problems. To identify possible alcohol problems, the Scottish Health Survey uses the CAGE questionnaire.  This contains eight statements about drinking.  Agreeing with two or more of the statements may indicate problem drinking.:

Results from the Scottish Health Survey 2003 show that:

• Among current drinkers, 12% of men and 8% of women aged 16 to 74 years were identified as possible problem drinkers (as measured by a CAGE score of 2 or more).
• The prevalence of problem drinking decreased with age: among men, from 16% for those aged between 16 and 24 years to 7% for those aged between 65 and 74 years; among women, from 8% to 2% respectively.

In addition, the Psychiatric morbidity among adults living in private households, 2000 also reported that:

• 41% of men aged 16 to 74 years were drinking alcohol at levels hazardous to their health (as measured by an AUDIT score of 8 or more).
• 15% of women aged 16 to 74 years were drinking alcohol hazardously.
• Amongst men aged 16 to 74 years, 117 per 1,000 had mild dependence, 13 per 1,000 moderate dependence and 1 per 1,000 severe dependence (as measured by a SAD-Q score of 4 or more).
• Amongst women aged 16 to 74 years, 39 per 1,000 had mild dependence, 1 per 1,000 moderate dependence and 2 per 1,000 severe dependence.
• In 2000, the prevalence of alcohol dependence among people aged 16 to 74 years was higher in Scotland than England for both men (131 per 1,000 men in Scotland compared to 115 per 1,000 men in England) and women (42 per 1,000 women in Scotland compared to 28 per 1,000 women in England).