Empirical derived AUD sub types in the US general population: a latent class analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology
• Addiction Science

Background:

• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex condition with varying presentations.
• Understanding distinct subtypes of AUD is crucial for effective clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the homogenous expression of DSM-5-based alcohol use disorder latent subtypes.
• To establish and validate a typology of AUD based on empirical data.

Main Methods:

• Latent class analysis was utilized on data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions Wave 2 (n=22,177).
• Multivariate regression was employed to validate the established typology against a range of covariates.

Main Results:

• A four-class model, comprising three AUD classes along a severity gradient and one non-problematic class, provided the most parsimonious data description.
• These identified classes demonstrated significant quantitative and qualitative differences in covariates.

Conclusions:

• The developed typology offers high clinical utility for classifying alcohol use disorder.
• This research enhances the understanding of AUD trajectories, informing targeted prevention and treatment interventions.