Are alcoholic women more likely to drink premenstrually?

A retrospective questionnaire study of alcoholic women attending a clinic for abstaining alcoholics, a voluntary agency and a drop-in centre for people with alcohol problems was conducted over a 2-year period. The women were asked whether they experienced premenstrual symptoms based on Halbreich et al.'s Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF) [Halbreich et al. (1982) Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 65, 46-65] and were also administered the severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ). The results showed that one-third of women drank more premenstrually than at other times of the month. It is concluded that knowledge of high-risk times of the month can aid counselling for this group of women.