Inpatient alcoholism treatment rates in a suburban county, by sex, age and social class.

SuMMAaY. Although inpatient alcoholism treatment rates of the total population were at least comparable to those reported for urban areas, the rates of women aged 15-24 living in a lower social area and of women aged 35-44 living in a higher social area approached pariwith rates of men in the same age and social categories. EW DATA are available on treated alcoholics in middle- class, suburban counties. Most epidemiological studies of alcoholics admitted to inpatient treatment have focused on national, statewide, urban or other selected subpopulations (1, 2). A review of the literature revealed only one population-based study (3) of treated alcoholics in suburban areas. When social class is considered, rates of hospitalization for alco- holism generally are higher among lower than other social classes. The use of treatment data from public sources may result in an overestimation of the prevalence of alcoholism in lower socioeco- nomic groups and an underestimation of its prevalence in upper socioeconomic groups. Nevertheless, high rates of alcoholism are not unknown in middle-class populations (4, 5). The present study reports rates of admission for inpatient alcoholism treatment among residents using the public mental health services of Rockland County, New York, a prototypical middle-class suburban area.