Comparing Drinking Patterns in Finland and Ontario (Canada)

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Abstract
A comparison is made of drinking patterns in Finland and Ontario (Canada). Respondents in two existing population surveys, the 1996 Joint Nordic Questionnaire and the 1996 Ontario Drug Monitor, were compared on their frequency of alcohol use in the past year, frequency of heavy drinking (6+ on Nordic survey and 5+ in Ontario), and both frequency and typical quantity of beer, wine and liquor consumption in males and females. It appeared that there are fewer nondrinkers and more weekly drinkers in the Finnish sample than in the Ontario sample. Further, both males and females in Ontario consumed 6+ drinks on one occasion more frequently than their Finnish counterparts. However, examination of the patterns of beer, wine and liquor consumption, particularly the distribution of very heavy drinking days (e.g., 12 or more drinks of liquor on one occasion), indicates that there is some evidence for periodic heavy drinking in Finnish males. Contrary to expectations, Canadian and Finnish drinking patterns appeared fairly similar. However, there was some evidence for a higher prevalence of binge drinking by Finnish men as compared with Canadian men.