Determinants of alcohol dependence in a racially diverse sample of young men

Background: Alcohol abuse and dependence constitute important health threats across the life course. This is particularly true among young males, who tend to have higher levels of abuse and dependence than females of all ages. The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence among young men from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods: Data for the study are from four waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The sample for this study includes 4597 men who entered the panel between ages 11 and 19, and who persisted to wave 4 at ages 24 to 32. Latent growth modeling is applied to examine the patterns of alcohol abuse and dependence over time and to understand the major determinants of these patterns. Results: Significant levels of alcohol-related problems are present in this sample: 27% reported at least one DSM-IV alcohol abuse symptom in the last year; 37% reported at least one DSM-IV alcohol dependence symptom, and 11% reported having three or more symptoms of alcohol dependence in the last year. We note substantial racial and ethnic differences, with white men drinking more and experiencing higher levels of alcohol abuse and dependence than other groups. Implications: Because the period from early adolescence through young adulthood includes ages typically associated with the onset of alcohol dependence, this longitudinal study will enable us to understand the determinants of the development of alcohol abuse and dependence that will have implications for prevention and treatment programs.