Psychological Reports, 1975, 37, 1087-1092. @ Psychological Reports 1975
SOCIAL BACKGROUND VARIABLES, REFERRAL SOURCES AND LIFE EVENTS OF MALE A N D FEMALE ALCOHOLICS HELMUT HOFFMANN AND AVIS A. NOEM IVillrnar (MN) State Hospital Summary.-Rural s n t e hospiral alcoholics ( 6 5 0 males, 7 4 females) were investigated on a social history inventory. Alcoholics lost social stability as indicated by continuous employment (47.0% ) and poor job performance (24.3 % ) . Spouse ( 3 2 . 3 % ) , family (24.3% ), court system ( 3 8 . 5 % ) , and law enforcement agency (29.8%) were primarily responsible for the subjects' referral to rrzatrnent. T h e involvement of other communiry agencies and health professionals in the referral of alcoholics was minimal. Financial (52.5%) and marital problems ( 3 9 . 9 % ) might be produced by alcoholism. Other events such as the death of a significant other (28.5 % ), anticipated o r realized responsibility ( 3 0 . 8 % ) , and changes associated with aging ( 1 8 . 7 % ) might precipitate alcoholism. More female than male alcoholics had spouses with a drinking ~ r o b l e m (73.9% vs 15.4%). were transported to the hospital from their own o r relative's home (71.6% vs 56.4%), were more frequently referred n, treatment by a friend (13.5% vs 5.9%), physician (12.2% vs 4 . 3 % ) , clergy (2.7% vs 0.6%) and county welfare department (14.9% vs 6.5%) and less frequently by law enforcement agency (13.5% vs 31.7%) and court (25.7% vs 40.0%). More female than male alcoholics reported stressful life events which receded a ~ e r i o dof drinking.
Since alcoholism appears to occur co a lesser degree in females than in males, the literacure on alcoholism and alcohol problems focuses predominantly on males. Even so, the less frequent incidence of female alcoholism would not justify the disproportionately little attention given to female alcoholics and sex differences in the research literamre. In her comparison of the social hisrory of an alcoholic outpatient population, Lisansky ( 1957) found that both sexes were drawn from relatively similar social classes. On the other hand, sex differences were noted in familial drinking history, with alcoholism or problem drinking being more prevalent in the families of female than male alcoholics. However, Hoffmann and Noem (1975a) found only minor sex differences in parental drinking patterns. In a rural state hospital alcoholic population, females showed a significantly higher percentage than male alcoholics on first admissions, voluntary referral status, married status, younger age, and high school education (Hoffmann & Noem, 197513). The purpose of the present study was twofold. Social background variables, life events preceding onset of drinking, and sources of referral to treatment of alcoholics [reared at a state hospital were investigated in order to ( 1 ) establish norms and ( 2 ) determine whether any sex differences exist on these variables.
H. HOFFMANN
1088
& A. A. NOEM
METHOD Subjects were all Caucasian alcoholics (650 males, mean age 46 yr. and 7 4 females, mean age 44 yr.) consecutively admitted to Willmar State Hospital from the rural catchment area during the years of 1971 and 1973. Information concerning social background, sources of referral to treatment, and life events immediately preceding the onset of the present episode of drinking was obtained in the intake interview conducted by psychiatric social workers using a standardized inventory. Chi-square values were computed to determine sex differences.
RESULTS Female alcoholics differed significantly from male alcoholics on only three of the ten social background variables investigated. Significantly more female than male alcoholics were transported to the hospital from their own or relative's home (71.6% vs 56 4%, x 2 = 5.74, df = 1, p < .02), attended church regularly at best (86.3% vs 7 3 SS,x2 = 5.03, df = 1,P < .05) and reported spouse with drinking problem (73.9% vs 15.4%, x2 = 30.57, df = 1, P < .001). Female alcoholics did not differ significantly from male alcoholics on the social bad
SOCIAL BACKGROUND VARIABLES, REFERRAL SOURCES AND LIFE EVENTS OF MALE A N D FEMALE ALCOHOLICS HELMUT HOFFMANN AND AVIS A. NOEM IVillrnar (MN) State Hospital Summary.-Rural s n t e hospiral alcoholics ( 6 5 0 males, 7 4 females) were investigated on a social history inventory. Alcoholics lost social stability as indicated by continuous employment (47.0% ) and poor job performance (24.3 % ) . Spouse ( 3 2 . 3 % ) , family (24.3% ), court system ( 3 8 . 5 % ) , and law enforcement agency (29.8%) were primarily responsible for the subjects' referral to rrzatrnent. T h e involvement of other communiry agencies and health professionals in the referral of alcoholics was minimal. Financial (52.5%) and marital problems ( 3 9 . 9 % ) might be produced by alcoholism. Other events such as the death of a significant other (28.5 % ), anticipated o r realized responsibility ( 3 0 . 8 % ) , and changes associated with aging ( 1 8 . 7 % ) might precipitate alcoholism. More female than male alcoholics had spouses with a drinking ~ r o b l e m (73.9% vs 15.4%). were transported to the hospital from their own o r relative's home (71.6% vs 56.4%), were more frequently referred n, treatment by a friend (13.5% vs 5.9%), physician (12.2% vs 4 . 3 % ) , clergy (2.7% vs 0.6%) and county welfare department (14.9% vs 6.5%) and less frequently by law enforcement agency (13.5% vs 31.7%) and court (25.7% vs 40.0%). More female than male alcoholics reported stressful life events which receded a ~ e r i o dof drinking.
Since alcoholism appears to occur co a lesser degree in females than in males, the literacure on alcoholism and alcohol problems focuses predominantly on males. Even so, the less frequent incidence of female alcoholism would not justify the disproportionately little attention given to female alcoholics and sex differences in the research literamre. In her comparison of the social hisrory of an alcoholic outpatient population, Lisansky ( 1957) found that both sexes were drawn from relatively similar social classes. On the other hand, sex differences were noted in familial drinking history, with alcoholism or problem drinking being more prevalent in the families of female than male alcoholics. However, Hoffmann and Noem (1975a) found only minor sex differences in parental drinking patterns. In a rural state hospital alcoholic population, females showed a significantly higher percentage than male alcoholics on first admissions, voluntary referral status, married status, younger age, and high school education (Hoffmann & Noem, 197513). The purpose of the present study was twofold. Social background variables, life events preceding onset of drinking, and sources of referral to treatment of alcoholics [reared at a state hospital were investigated in order to ( 1 ) establish norms and ( 2 ) determine whether any sex differences exist on these variables.
H. HOFFMANN
1088
& A. A. NOEM
METHOD Subjects were all Caucasian alcoholics (650 males, mean age 46 yr. and 7 4 females, mean age 44 yr.) consecutively admitted to Willmar State Hospital from the rural catchment area during the years of 1971 and 1973. Information concerning social background, sources of referral to treatment, and life events immediately preceding the onset of the present episode of drinking was obtained in the intake interview conducted by psychiatric social workers using a standardized inventory. Chi-square values were computed to determine sex differences.
RESULTS Female alcoholics differed significantly from male alcoholics on only three of the ten social background variables investigated. Significantly more female than male alcoholics were transported to the hospital from their own or relative's home (71.6% vs 56 4%, x 2 = 5.74, df = 1, p < .02), attended church regularly at best (86.3% vs 7 3 SS,x2 = 5.03, df = 1,P < .05) and reported spouse with drinking problem (73.9% vs 15.4%, x2 = 30.57, df = 1, P < .001). Female alcoholics did not differ significantly from male alcoholics on the social bad
