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Alcohol Use

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  • Description
    Alcohol Use reports the prevalence of the consumption of alcohol by age range.
  • Full Description

    Alcohol Use reports an estimated average percent of people who consumed alcohol by type of use and by age range. For the purpose of these data, binge use of alcohol was defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion; i.e. at the same time or within a couple of hours. Dependence is defined consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) definition as:

    • Spending a lot of time engaging in activities related to substance use
    • Using a substance in greater quantities or for a longer time than intended
    • Developing tolerance (i.e., needing to use the substance more than before to get desired effects or noticing that the same amount of substance use had less effect than before)
    • Making unsuccessful attempts to cut down on use
    • Continuing substance use despite physical health or emotional problems associated with substance use
    • Reducing or eliminating participation in other activities because of substance use
    • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

    Similarly, Abuse is also defined consistent with the DSM-IV definition as the following lifestyle symptoms due to the use of illicit drugs in the past 12 months:

    • Experiencing problems at work, home, and school
    • Doing something physically dangerous
    • Experiencing Repeated trouble with the law
    • Experiencing Problems with family or friends

    These data is collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Substate Region Estimates by Age Group. This survey is conducted on a representative sample of U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized people ages 12 and older. Data are available for the state of Connecticut, substate regions within Connecticut, the Northeast region of the United States, and the Total United States.

  • Source
    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • Suppression
    Low precision estimates for small geographic areas have been suppressed.