The history of the Jellinek formula and its application

Abstract

Elvin Morton Jellinek's scientific performance has notably influenced the field of alcohol studies. (Kelemen & Márk, 2012, 2013) While he was working for the World Health Organization between 1950 and 1955, WHO laid special emphasis on alcohol studies. In addition to his efforts in policy-making, Jellinek's theory on the "phases of alcohol addiction" and proposing "Jellinek formula" made his name well-known. The applicability of Jellinek formula has been debated right from the beginnings, though WHO Alcoholism Subcommittee found it remarkable and adaptable with some restrictions. The revised form of Jellinek formula was used until the late 1970s for calculating the prevalence of alcoholism in the United States. Nowadays the formula is regarded as a curiosity in the history of alcohol studies.