Alcohol Use Disorder Affects 1 in 3 Americans
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects 1 in 3 Americans during their lifetime and often remains untreated, with only 19.8% of adults seeking aid, according to a new study.
For their study, researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with a US sample of 36,309 noninstitutionalized civilian adult (≥18 years). Researchers collected data from April 2012 to June 2013.
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Overall, 12-month and lifetime prevalence of AUD were 13.9% and 29.1%, respectively.
Prevalence was highest for both 12 months and lifetime duration among men (17.6% and 36.0% respectively), Caucasian adults (14.0% and 32.6%), Native American respondents (19.2% and 43.4%), younger adults (26.7% and 37.0%, respectively) and previously married (11.4% and 27.1%) or never married adults (25.0% and 35.5%).
The investigators noted that only 19.8% of respondents with lifetime AUD received treatment for the disorder. Significant associations were also found with other substance use disorders, bipolar disorder, antisocial and borderline personality disorders, and major depressive disorder.
“The NESARC-III data indicate an urgent need to educate the public and policy makers about AUD and its treatment alternatives, to destigmatize the disorder, and to encourage those who cannot reduce their alcohol consumption on their own, despite substantial harm to themselves and others, to seek treatment,” explained the study’s authors.
The complete study is published in the June issue of JAMA Psychiatry.
-Michelle Canales Butcher
Reference:
Grant BF, Goldstein RB, Sasha TD, et al. Epidemiology of DSM-5 Alcohol use disorder results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions III. JAMA Psych. 2015 June [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0584.