Clinical course of alcohol dependence in African Americans.

Objective: The sequence and progression of alcohol related life events were investigated in a sample of African Americans and compared with findings from a predominantly Caucasian sample.

Methods: Alcohol dependent participants were recruited from treatment facilities. Participants completed the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism to assess the physical, psychological and social manifestations of alcoholism and related disorders.

Results: The sequence and mean age of appearance of alcohol-related life events were similar for this sample of African-American men and women. While there were similarities in the progression of alcohol related life problems between the African American and the Caucasian samples, the frequency of symptom endorsement for most problems was significantly higher in the Caucasian sample.

Conclusions: Identifying ethnic differences in the clinical course of alcohol dependence may be of importance in developing treatment plans and assist in the development of culturally sensitive intervention and prevention programs.