The majority of research on drinking initiation and alcohol dependence has focused on cumulative probability of dependence based on age at first drink or differential risk by sex. This research on the progression from first drink to development of alcohol dependence has often demonstrated sex differences, specifically the telescoping effect with women initiating drinking later but progressing to dependence and other alcohol-related problems faster than men. This study extends prior research by examining race/ethnicity differences together with sex differences in the onset of drinking and alcohol dependence, as well as progression from first drink to alcohol dependence. Our analyses resulted in several significant findings, which we highlight below.
