The prevalence of problem drinking in Northern Ireland: a population study.

A total of 3 755 individuals constituting 85.5% of a stratified random sample of all Northern Ireland electors were interviewed about their drinking patterns as the major element in a community health study. It was found that, according to pre-determined criteria, 11.2 per 1 000 were alcoholics and another 28.5 per 1 000 were substantially preoccupied with alcohol, giving an estimated provincial total of 40 000 (+/- 3 300) abnormal drinkers. Using appropriate multivariate statistical methods the prevalence of problem drinking was found to depend (in rank order of importance) on sex, age, religious denomination and area of residence.