Intoxication and hazardous use of alcohol: results from the 1992 Finnish Drinking Habits Study

The harmful or risky use of alcohol among the Finnish population is studied on the basis of data gathered in a national survey. Harms are examined in relation to different styles of drinking, and they are measured using both the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the 1992 Drinking Habits Study of the Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies. Using an alcohol score of 11 as the cut-off point, 22% of men and 5% of women can be classified as risky drinkers. Young age and family relations are related positively to the prevalence of risky drinking. High scores in the youngest age group (15–19 years) are related to the intoxication-seeking drinking style. Those who drink often and large amounts on individual occasions experience the most harm related to drinking. However, those who drink seldom but more than seven units on a single occasion also experience harmful consequences fairly often and, thus can have high AUDIT scores. Significant others commonly criticize or give advice to the hazardous drinker. Doctors or employers had paid less attention to the intoxication seeking or heavy drinking than the police or the significant others.