TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1998//
TI  - A comparison of estimates of the prevalence of heavy drinkers in local regions of Queensland
JO  - Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry
A1  - Crook, G. M.
A1  - West, M. E.
A1  - Oei, Tian Po S.
SP  - 504
EP  - 510
VL  - 32
IS  - 4
N2  - OBJECTIVE: This study developed and compared separate estimates of the number of heavy drinkers (the in-need population for alcohol treatment interventions) across eight local regions in Queensland. METHOD: Estimates were based on: (i) a self-report population survey of alcohol consumption; and (ii) an application of the Ledermann log-normal distribution of consumption model to liquor sale figures. RESULTS: Estimates based on the 1989-1990 National Health Survey (NHS) data indicated that 10.98% (n = 83,880) of adult male drinkers and 1.25% (n = 6581) of adult female drinkers in Queensland (total = 90,461) were on average drinking the equivalent of six or more standard drinks a day in the week prior to the survey (4.74% of Queensland adult drinkers, n = 90,461). Estimates based on the Ledermann model indicated that 12.18% of adult Queensland drinkers (n = 232,283) were drinking six or more standard drinks a day. Estimates based on the Ledermann model were 157% larger than estimates based on NHS data (i.e. a difference of 141,821 heavy drinkers), with large variations in the two estimates across local regions. CONCLUSION: The NHS data appears to underestimate the population of heavy drinkers, whereas the Ledermann model overestimates it. In this situation, it seems preferable to use the more conservative self-report survey estimates.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0004-8674
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -