The lifetime prevalence of DSM-5 AUD is only slightly higher than that of DSMIV abuse or dependence (32.1% vs. 30.7%, an increase of 5.1%). The modest increase in prevalence reported here is consistent with that reported by Agrawal et al. (2011), and less pronounced than that reported by Mewton and colleagues (2011). These differences could be partially attributable to the sample population (U.S. vs. Australian), or to differences in the assessment tools used in the different studies. We also note that those reports explored changes in 12-month prevalence of AUD, while the current report focuses on lifetime prevalence. Another possible contributor to the differences across studies is their treatment of items related to drunk driving. Agrawal and colleagues found that distinguishing between drunk driving and other types of hazardous use resulted in different prevalence changes between DSM-IV and DSM-5; conversely, drunk driving was not addressed in the interview used by Mewton and colleagues. Because of the structure of the interview used in the current study, distinctions between drunk driving and other types of hazardous use were not possible. Ultimately, our
