Adult women's drinking in Israel: a review of the literature.

This article presents a review and critique of research on Israeli Jewish women's drinking. It has been prepared in an attempt to bring together the results of all Israeli studies dealing with Jewish women's drinking. It summarizes, on the basis of a review of all Israeli alcohol research in the professional literature in Hebrew and English, women's drinking practices over the last 42 years (May 1948-May 1990) with emphasis on the last decade. Three main areas of interest (alcohol-dependent women in treatment, drinking habits of women in special populations, and drinking habits and attitudes of women in the general population) have been elucidated by looking at three periods: the late 40s-60s, the 70s, and the 80s. The 60s and 70s are characterized by studies concerning pathological drinking patterns among women in clinical and treatment settings, and the 80s are characterized by research in the general population. The review concludes with a call for more investigation and topics for further study are discussed.