Summary
Alcoholism afflicts individuals of all social groups and age levels, although young adults have the greatest risk for addiction to alcohol. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 51 percent of Americans—more than 125 million people over 12 years of age—reported being current drinkers in 2007. That same year, an estimated 1.3 million people received treatment for the use of alcohol, and another 1.4 million received treatment for using both alcohol and illegal drugs, while roughly 19.3 million others who needed treatment did not receive it.
The Encyclopedia of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse examines the history of alcohol and alcoholism, providing detailed information about alcohol abuse and dependence. It explains the process by which alcohol dependence emerges, contributing factors, how to recognize alcohol dependence, what treatments are available, and the health impact if it is left untreated. Topics covered include the environmental and genetic factors for alcoholism, psychiatric illnesses associated with it, and the various social issues connected to alcohol use, ranging from lost work days to domestic violence. Appendixes include directories of national agencies and organizations, state agencies and organizations, child protective service agencies, mental health agencies, and statistics on alcohol use and abuse.
Topics include:
- Adolescents and drinking
- Alcohol and the elderly
- Alcohol-related child neglect and abuse
- Alcohol-use disorders
- Driving while intoxicated
- Effects of alcohol and alcohol use in men and women
- Emergency treatment
- Families and alcohol
- Pregnancy and alcohol
- Psychiatric disorders
- Smoking and alcohol
- Underage drinking.
Specifications
Index. Appendixes. Bibliography. Cross-references. Tables.
About the Author(s)
Mark S. Gold, M.D., is the chief of the Division of Addiction Medicine in the psychiatry department at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He is also a professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine in the departments of psychiatry, neuroscience, community health, and family medicine. He is the editor, the coeditor, or on the editorial board of numerous publications, including the Journal of the American Medical Association, Psychopharmacology, Archives of General Psychiatry, The American Journal of Psychiatry, The Lancet, American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Journal of Addictive Disease, Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, Pharmacotherapy, and Postgraduate Medicine.
Christine Adamec is a medical writer who has coauthored many books, including The Encyclopedia of Adoption, Third Edition; The Encyclopedia of Elder Care; The Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases and Disorders; and The Encyclopedia of the Digestive System and Digestive Disorders, Second Edition, all for Facts On File. In addition, she has coauthored three editions of The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse and three editions of The Encyclopedia of Adoption. She has also coauthored medical books for other publishers including Fibromyalgia for Dummies, Prostate Cancer for Dummies, and How to Stop Heartburn.