Research.Completed.cmp20

Completed Project <back>

Title: Who seeks treatment for alcohol dependence? Findings from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

NDARC Staff: Heather Proudfoot and Maree Teesson

Aim:
To examine the patterns of alcohol dependence and treatment seeking in Australia.

Design and Method:
The data was from the 1997 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing which consisted of a national stratified probability sample of 10,461 Australian adults aged 18 and over. The data set provided diagnoses of drug and alcohol and other psychiatric disorders as well as physical illness, physical and mental disability, service use and basic demographic data. Prevalence figures were extracted using a program designed for use with stratified data (SAS-callable SUDAAN). Patterns of alcohol dependence and treatment seeking were analysed using multivariate regression analyses which could control for covariates such as comorbid psychiatric and drug disorders and demographic variables.

Findings:
The prevalence of DSM-IV alcohol dependence was 4.1% in this population; and correlates were sex (male), age (young), not being in a married or de facto relationship and having any affective, anxiety or other substance use disorder. Correlates of treatment seeking for those with dependence were sex (female) and having a comorbid affective disorder. Having a diagnosis of dependence and/or abuse and having more dependence symptoms did not predict treatment seeking.

Output:
Proudfoot, H. & Teesson, M. (2001). Who seeks treatment for alcohol dependence? Findings from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. NDARC Technical Report No 122. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
Proudfoot, H. & Teesson, M. (2002). Who seeks treatment for alcohol dependence? Findings from the Australian national Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 37, 451-456.

Contact Person: Heather Proudfoot (h.proudfoot@unsw.edu.au)