Self-reported illnesses in family members of alcoholics

This study explores the association between familial alcoholism and the presence of certain conditions in nonalcoholic family members. Depression, obesity, functional bowel syndrome, asthma/emphysema, trauma, and genitourinary problems are conditions suggested by prior studies to be more common in families of alcoholics than in those without an alcoholic family member. Cross-sectional data were collected from a convenience sample of adults in the waiting room of a midwestern, university based family practice clinic. The respondents were classified in two groups: those with little likelihood of familial alcoholism and those with probable familial alcoholism. The groups were matched for race and age, creating two demographically similar groups which were then analyzed as cohorts. The prevalence rates of the conditions of interest in the respondents were calculated in the two groups and compared using the chi-square test for statistical significance. Significant differences in prevalence rates of depression and obesity were found. Trends were found for differing rates of functional bowel syndrome and asthma/emphysema. No differences were found for trauma and genitourinary problems. If differences in disease prevalence truly exist between family members of alcoholic and nonalcoholic individuals, this awareness could enhance the diagnosis and treatment of the conditions of interest in the nonalcoholic relative as well as the alcoholic individual. Family members could be a powerful screening tool for alcoholism.