Even if a difference in the prevalence of DSM-IV and DSM-5 AUD is not observed in other settings, patients identified by the two diagnostic criteria could have different demographic or clinical profiles. Little research has focused on demographic and clinical differences between patients who meet DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria for AUD in clinical settings. Both the change in number of diagnostic criteria required, and the change from “legal problems” to “craving,” could result in differences in the clinical characteristics of the populations of patients diagnosed with DSM-5 AUD and DSM-IV AUD.
