Applicability of Type A/B alcohol dependence in the general population

作者：Tam Tammy W^*; Mulia Nina; Schmidt Laura A

来源：Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2014, 138: 169-176.

DOI：10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.02.698

• Alcoholic subtype
• Alcohol dependence
• Latent class analysis
• Type A/B

Background: This study examined the concurrent and predictive validity of Type A/B alcohol dependence in the general population a typology developed in clinical populations to gauge severity of dependence.
Methods: Data were drawn from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). The sample included 1,172 alcohol-dependent drinkers at baseline who were reinterviewed three years later. Latent class analysis was used to derive Type A/B classification using variables replicating the original Type A/B typology. Predictive validity of the Type A/B classification was assessed by multivariable linear and logistic regressions.
Results: A two-class solution consistent with Babor ' s original Type A/B typology adequately fit the data. Type B alcoholics in the general population, compared to Type As, had higher alcohol severity and more co-occurring drug, mental, and physical health problems. In the absence of treatment services utilization, Type B drinkers had two times the odds of being alcohol dependent three years later. Among those who utilized alcohol treatment services, Type B membership was predictive of heavy drinking and drug dependence, but not alcohol dependence, three years later.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that Type A/B classification is both generalizable to, and valid within, the US general population of alcohol dependent drinkers. Results highlight the value of treatment for mitigating the persistence of dependence among Type B alcoholics in the general population. Screening for markers of vulnerability to Type B dependence could be of clinical value for health care providers to determine appropriate intervention.

• 出版日期2014-5-1