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The attitudes of 92 patients to student doctors in a maternity unit were assessed by questionnaire. A total of 76% of attitude statements by patients were favourable to the presence of student doctors. There was a significant trend for patients from lower social class groups to have more positive attitudes to student doctors (0.01 less than P less than 0.05). There was a slight tendency for male students to elicit more favourable attitudes than female students (0.05 less than P less than 0.05).

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Highlanders were also less likely than other respondents to report having consumed alcohol in the previous week. Levels of alcohol consumption-Table IV shows the mean levels of alcohol consumption reported by men and women in the three areas. Significant differences were reported in the mean amounts consumed during the previous week by both sexes in the three areas. Among men, those in Tayside drank the most; whereas among women, those in Kent were the heaviest drinkers. Highlanders drank the least. These differences did not appear to arise from either sampling or response bias (Crawford, and Crawford et al, unpublishedobservations). TABLE iv-Mean levels of self reported alcohol consumption (units*) among respondents who had consumed alcohol during previous week Area Respondents Level of significancef Highland Tayside Kent Men 15 4 19 1 16-9 Region:F=5 7;df=2,1407;p<0-003 Women 55 66 72 Sex: F=2185; df=1,1407; p<0001 *Each unit equivalent to half pint (285 ml) ordinary beer, lager, etc, or single glass of wine or spirits. Each unit contains approximately 1 0 cl/7 9 g absolute alcohol. t3 (Area) x 2 (respondent's sex) analysis of variance with scores logged to base 10. Conclusions These results do not support the view that levels of alcohol consumption in the community mirror officially recorded rates of treated morbidity for alcohol dependence. In this respect this general population survey produced results fully compatible with those of our clinical survey.' Together these studies suggest that the widespread belief that alcohol dependence is vastly more commonplace in the north than in the south of Britain is more of a myth than a reality. Regional differences in other indicators of alcohol misuse remain to be explained. Several policy options exist whereby alcohol misuse may be curbed. These range from controlling the price and availability of alcohol to attempting to make public drinking more relaxed and socially integrated. Some of these are reviewed elsewhere.'3 This study was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council. Additional support was given by the Scotch Whisky Association and by the Brewers' Society. Fieldwork was efficiently conducted by Survey Research Associates, London. Some of the data will be included in a Glasgow University PhD thesis. References 1 Latcham RW, Kreitman N, Plant MA, Crawford A. Regional variations in British alcohol morbidity rates: a myth uncovered ? I: Clinical surveys. Br Med J 1984;289:1341-3. 2 Camberwell Council on Alcoholism. Women and alcohol. London: Tavistock, 1980. 3 Plant ML. Women, drinking and pregnancy. London: Tavistock (in press). 4 Kish L. A procedure for objective respondent selection within the household.