| Sumario: | This paper investigates social inequalities in drinking behaviour in a sample of the German general population aged 25 to 59 years. The prevalence of several indicators of alcohol use and misuse were examined by socio-economic status (SES). Odds ratios were calculated to examine the relative effect of socio-economic status on the various alcohol misuse indicators. Abstinence showed a clear negative gradient with social status. When age was controlled, no differences were found in the prevalence of hazardous drinking. In comparison with men of high SES, men of middle SES had increased odds of consuming five or more drinks per day at least weekly and of a positive score on the AUDIT hazardous use measure, while men of lower SES had higher odds for dependence symptoms. Women of middle SES had significantly lower odds for reporting items of the CAGE alcohol screening instrument and DSM-IV alcohol abuse criteria in comparison to women of high SES. Thus, women of lower and higher SES resemble each other in drinking behaviour. For men, no identifiable pattern was found. The lack of clear social inequalities among the consuming German general population may be due to the widespread integration of alcohol drinking in everyday life.
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