Alcohol, Gender, and Psychiatric Co-Morbidity: A Study from India

Background: In the recent decades, increasing number of females have been seeking de-addiction services yet data in this regard is very limited from across the globe as well as from India. Objectives: The aim of this research was to study the gender differences in demographic and clinical profile and psychiatric comorbidity among patients with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS). Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, a tertiary care center located in Tumkur, India, during year 2015 to 2016. Seventy male and 50 female subjects (aged 18 to 50 years) meeting the criteria for ADS, were assessed using socio-demographic and clinical proforma, severity of alcohol dependence questionnaire (SADQ), and mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI). Results: For females, mean age at presentation was 41.38 years (standard deviation, SD =6.43), the majority belonged to a nuclear family (72%) (Parents and their children living together), had low socio-economic class (68%), and studied up to Seventh standard (86%) compared to males, whose mean age at presentation was 39.65 years (SD =7.76), majority belonged to a joint family (54.28%) (three generation living together), middle socio-economic class (55.71%), studied to the eighth standard and above (52.85%). Females compared to males started alcohol use at a later age, drunk for shorter duration and lesser quantity per day. Stress was the foremost reason cited for initiation of drinking and physical sickness to seek medical treatment by both. Females have more co-morbid psychiatric problems compared to males. Conclusions: A number of important gender differences with regards to alcoholism have been found, which have implications for planning gender sensitive, multi-dimensional treatment, and preventive programmers.