Table 1 Characteristics of the study sample, by gender

Age group

14 – 17

10.9

335

9.8

326

10.3

661

0.65

18 – 24

17.9

159

16.9

209

17.4

368

25 – 34

21.5

238

20.8

350

21.1

588

35 – 44

19.3

192

19.2

296

19.2

488

45 – 59

18.8

200

19.6

301

19.2

501

≥ 60

11.6

161

13.8

240

12.7

401

Marital status

Single

36.4

560

31

596

33.6

1156

< 0.01

Married/Partner

58.2

631

52.6

814

55.3

1445

Divorced/Separeted/Widowed

5.4

94

16.4

312

11.1

406

Schooling

Illiterate/Basic

34.5

430

34.4

587

34.4

1017

0.62

Incomplete or complete elementary school

29.3

402

26.9

470

28

872

Incomplete or complete high school

27

391

29.1

559

28.1

950

Incomplete or complete higher education

9.2

62

9.4

106

9.4

168

Family income

≤ US $208

34.5

495

39.2

740

36.9

1235

< 0.01

US $209 – US $347

18.2

259

19.2

325

18.7

584

US $348 – US $555

20.9

226

16.6

257

18.7

483

US $556 – US $1,157

14.1

143

11.2

160

12.6

303

> US $1,157

6.1

55

4.8

65

5.4

120

Not informed

6.2

107

9

175

7.7

282

Region

North

9.3

94

8

114

8.6

208

0.83

Mid-west

6.3

96

7.1

140

6.7

236

Northeast

28.7

378

29.1

506

28.9

884

Southeast

43.9

545

44.8

730

44.4

1275

South

11.8

172

11.0

232

11.4

404

Sector

Urban

85.3

1074

84.1

1451

84.7

2525

0.38

Rural

14.7

211

15.9

271

15.3

482

Age at first use

No drinking

32

478

54.7

939

43.7

1417

< 0.01

Up to 14 years

13

194

5.3

127

9.1

321

15 - 17 years

27.7

298

12.8

221

20

519

18-24 years

23.3

246

21.1

308

22.2

554

≥ 25 years

4

51

6.1

96

5.1

147

Problems related to alcohol consumption

0

62.6

871

88.8

1516

76.2

2387

< 0.01

1

7.4

85

4.6

71

5.9

156

2

5.7

64

2

40

3.8

104

3

5.1

54

1.1

23

3

77

≥ 4

19.2

211

3.6

72

11.1

283

Volume-Variability Index

Frequent heavy drinker

13.5

146

2.9

55

8

201

< 0.01

Frequent drinker

20.5

229

8.3

140

14.2

369

Less frequent drinker

15.2

176

12.9

217

14

393

Infrequent drinker

12.5

166

15.4

250

14

416

Abstainer

38.3

568

60.4

1060

49.7

1628

Binge drinking

Abstainer

49.7

567

60.4

1060

49.7

1627

< 0.01

No

24.2

294

22.9

373

23.5

667

Yes

37.6

424

16.7

289

26.8

713

Abuse

No

85.3

1119

97.7

1671

91.7

2790

< 0.01

Yes

14.7

166

2.3

51

8.3

217

Dependence

No

87.1

1139

97

1660

92.2

2799

< 0.01

Yes

12.9

146

3

62

7.8

208