A profile of Chinese alcoholics in Singapore.

Eighty-five Chinese alcoholics, referred consecutively to the psychiatric unit of a general hospital, were assessed with the Alcohol Problems Questionnaire (APQ) and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ). There were 72 men (mean age 44.3, SD 13.9) and 13 women (mean age 36.7, SD 11.6). The common alcohol-related problems reported concerned physical health, finance, work, friends, depression and marriage. The SADQ score for men was 19.6 (SD 7.8) and women 15.6 (SD 8.4). Highly significant Pearson product moment correlations were found between the SADQ score and APQ subscales in physical health, depression and finance; but there was no correlation with children or legal (police) problems. The strongly positive correlation between the SADQ and APQ scores were independent of the quantity of alcohol consumption. Female drinkers had more depressive symptoms than males, but there was no significant difference in alcohol-related problems pertaining to physical health, work, marriage, finance or friends for male or female drinkers.