Does calling alcoholism an illness make a difference? The public image of alcoholism in Italy.

Aims: Using data from a population survey in two communities in the region of Sardinia, Italy, we examined the association between illness definition and attribution of personal characteristics to people with alcoholism.

Methods: Quota samples, stratified by gender and age, were drawn from the general population (males: 48%; mean age 48±18; range: 15-90). A fully-structured interview was conducted face-to-face with 404 respondents.