The groups studied include men, women, Black Americans, and Hispanics. The main research approaches are measures based on clinical conceptions of alcohol abuse and dependence, aggregate measures of problems developed in survey research, and rates for specific alcohol-related problems. Comparisons across these measures are impossible. However, the epidemiological studies repeatedly reveal that men have higher rates of alcohol problems than women in the United States. Further data reveal that problems are concentrated among men in their twenties, any type of problem has only a moderate correlation to another type of problem, and heavy drinking is the strongest predictor of any problem. Many of the epidemiological findings described for men also apply to women. Little is known about the prevalence and correlates of alcohol problems among African Americans and Hispanics. Further research is needed on several topics. Tables and 48 references