The challenges associated with hazardous use as a diagnostic criterion are well known. For instance, Hasin & Paykin (29) found that 63.6% of those meeting criteria for current and lifetime DSM-IV abuse did so via endorsement of hazardous use alone with a substantial majority of these respondents identifying drinking and driving as the contributing item. In addition to the general low reliability (30–32) and validity (33) of alcohol abuse, Keyes and Hasin (34) have noted that endorsement of hazardous use varies as a function of socio-economic status: individuals with a past year personal income of $70,000+ were twice as likely to report hazardous use compared with individuals with a past year personal income of less than $20,000. This increase was largely attributable to increased reports of drinking and driving in higher income categories – we replicate this effect as well. Babor and Caetano (35) have commented that inclusion of drinking and driving in estimates of hazardous use, and consequently abuse, inflate the combined prevalence of abuse/dependence. We note this to be the case, however, it appears to be less of
