Prevalence of 12-Month Alcohol Use, High-Risk Drinking, and DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder in the United States, 2001-2002 to 2012-2013: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Repeated nationally representative cross-sectional surveys
PubMed 28793133 · doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.2161
What was done
Face-to-face interview data were analyzed from two nationally representative surveys of US adults: the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC, 2001-2002; n = 43,093) and NESARC-III (2012-2013; n = 36,309). The authors evaluated 12-month prevalence changes in alcohol use, high-risk drinking, and DSM-IV alcohol use disorder (AUD) across the total sample and sociodemographic subgroups.
What was found
Between 2001-2002 and 2012-2013, 12-month alcohol use increased from 65.4% (95% CI, 64.3%-66.6%) to 72.7% (95% CI, 71.4%-73.9%), an 11.2% increase. High-risk drinking increased by 29.9%, from 9.7% (95% CI, 9.3%-10.2%) to 12.6% (95% CI, 12.0%-13.2%). DSM-IV AUD increased by 49.4%, from 8.5% (95% CI, 8.0%-8.9%) to 12.7% (95% CI, 12.1%-13.3%). AUD among alcohol users rose from 12.9% (95% CI, 12.3%-17.5%) to 17.5% (95% CI, 16.7%-18.3%), and AUD among high-risk drinkers rose from 46.5% (95% CI, 44.3%-48.7%) to 54.5% (95% CI, 52.7%-56.4%). Increases across all measures were greatest among women, older adults, racial/ethnic minorities, and individuals with lower education and family income.
Why it matters
This study documents substantial population-level increases in alcohol use, high-risk drinking, and AUD across the United States over a decade. The disproportionate rise among women, older adults, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups highlights emerging public health vulnerabilities for alcohol-related chronic comorbidities.
Limits
The findings rely on self-reported survey responses, which are subject to recall and social desirability biases. The study uses repeated cross-sectional surveys rather than a longitudinal design tracking individuals over time, and DSM-IV criteria were utilized rather than DSM-5.