The JACS study I: characteristics of a population of chemically dependent Jewish men and women.

In order to learn more about chemically dependent Jewish people, and to help dispel the misinformation about them, the authors surveyed individuals who were part of the JACS database. Data from 379 questionnaires were analyzed and compared with the findings of two general population surveys of Jews and a previous study of Jewish alcoholics. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported dependence on more than one substance. Alcohol was found to be the most prevalent drug of both primary (54.7%) and secondary (24.5%) dependence. The male:female ratios for all chemical dependents (1.08:1) and alcohol dependents (1:1.006) were lower than observed in national studies of American alcoholic populations, as was also found in a previous study of Jewish alcoholics. The hypotheses that alcoholic Jews suffer from lack of education, poor income, alienation or loss of religious conviction failed to be supported by the JACS study. Alcohol is the drug of choice for chemically dependent Jews. The JACS survey does not support previous ideas about causes of Jewish alcoholism. The relatively large proportion of women found deserves further study.