Three national surveys on nonritual alcohol drinking practices of the Israeli Jewish adult population in the '80s: what are the trends?

The trends of alcohol consumption among the adult Jewish population in Israel from 1982 to 1987 were identified on the basis of three nation-wide epidemiological surveys carried out in 1982, 1983 and 1987 by the Israel Institute of Applied Social Research. Findings indicate that while present trends concerning general drinking characteristics of Jewish Israelis can calm fears--since 1982 there has been an increasing trend of abstaining from alcohol--beer drinking and drinking in pubs among young people, and drunkeness among the Israeli-born second generation has been on the increase. Furthermore, acquaintance with alcoholics was reported by religious more than nonreligious respondents in all the surveys.