Sex differences among clients of an emergency care unit for alcoholism

Compared male and female clients of an emergency care unit for the treatment of alcohol-related crises on a number of basic characteristics and procedural variables. Female clients were found to be significantly younger and more likely to be employed than males. The two groups did not differ reliably with respect to educational level or marital status. Females were found to be referred to the center by Alcoholics Anonymous and family members more often than were male clients, and male clients were referred more often by police than were female clients. The two groups also differed with respect to disposition at time of discharge, with more females judged as not needing additional treatment and more males viewed as needing additional treatment, but family or patient was not ready at the time.