Alcohol, drug, and mental health problems among Jewish and Christian men at a university.

Data from a questionnaire sent to 704 male university students and nonacademic staff were reanalyzed to compare self-reports of drug and alcohol intake patterns and problems as well as family histories of psychiatric disorders for Jewish (N = 110, Group 1) and Christian men (N = 594, Group 2). Although the two groups did not differ significantly on the quantity and frequency of alcohol intake, men in Group 2 were more likely to report at least one episode of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems, and their responses indicated a higher rate of a family history of alcoholism. There were no differences across the groups on the proportion of lifetime drug use and related difficulties, or on the family histories of other psychiatric disorders. The results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating a lower prevalence of heavy drinking and related problems among Jews.