Familial correlates of drug and alcohol use in a nationwide general population survey.

Familial correlates such as parental stability and past family medical history of respondents reporting recent illicit and licit unprescribed drug use or 'problematic' drinking, in a nationwide general population sample in Greece, were explored. The type of survey was cross-sectional and the respondents, aged 12-64, were interviewed in their homes with a multidimensional structured questionnaire. Familial pathology was recorded by the Family Medical History Index, an originally developed instrument. An association between familial instability and illicit or unprescribed drug use was observed. Higher levels of familial pathology expressed in the form of prevalence of mental or somatic illness, excessive tobacco smoking, alcohol and drug use was found to be related with higher rates of illicit or unprescribed drug use and 'problematic' drinking among the probands. These results are discussed within the context of the limitations of the study and the usefulness of obtaining information on the family atmosphere of drug users.