Alcohol Addiction: One Entity or Different Entities? A DSM-4-Based Attempt Toward a Geographicization of Alcohol Addiction and Abuse

AIM: To examine whether in Europe perceptions of 'alcoholism' differ in a discrete manner according to geographical area.

METHOD: Secondary analysis of a data set from a European project carried out in 2013-2014 among 1767 patients treated in alcohol addiction units of nine countries/regions across Europe. The experience of all 11 DSM-4 criteria used for diagnosing 'alcohol dependence' and 'alcohol abuse' were assessed in patient interviews. The analysis was performed through Multiple Correspondence Analysis.

RESULTS: The symptoms of 'alcohol dependence' and 'alcohol abuse', posited by DSM-IV, were distributed according to three discrete geographical patterns: a macro-area mainly centered on drinking beer and spirit, a culture traditionally oriented toward wine and a mixed intermediate alcoholic beverage situation.

CONCLUSION: These patterns of perception seem to parallel the diverse drinking cultures of Europe.