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Top 10 Alcohol Abuse Statistics
- About 14.8 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older had alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2019. This includes 9.0 million men and 5.5 million women. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- An estimated 95,000 people (approximately 68,000 men and 27,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Alcohol misuse costs the United States about $249 billion each year. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- An estimated 26.45% of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month, and 6.6% reported that they engaged in heavy alcohol use in the past month. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Over 10% of children in the United States live with a parent with alcohol problems. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
- Approximately 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually in the United States. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- In 2018, over 2 million adults in the United States had alcohol addiction and another 10.6 million adults had an illicit drug addiction. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Among people ages 12-20, 7.4 million reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- In 2019, an estimated 401,000 adolescents ages 12-17 had AUD. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Approximately 2.5 million people die each year from alcohol-related causes worldwide. (World Health Organization)
How Many People Drink Alcohol Worldwide?
- In 2016, about 3.3 billion people, or 45% of the world's population aged 15 years and older, consumed alcohol.
- Europe has the highest prevalence of alcohol consumption, with over 50% of the population consuming alcohol.
- In Africa, about 25% of the population drinks alcohol.
- The Americas have a higher prevalence of alcohol consumption than the global average, with about 55% of people drinking alcohol.
- Asia has a lower prevalence of alcohol consumption than the global average, with about 39% of people drinking alcohol.
Alcohol Consumption by Age Group
- Among individuals aged 12 to 20 years old, approximately 7.4 million reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Among adults aged 21 to 25 years old, approximately 55% reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Among adults aged 26 or older, approximately 50% reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Among adults aged 65 or older, approximately 44% reported consuming alcohol in the past year.
Alcohol Consumption by Gender
- Men are more likely to consume alcohol than women. In 2019, 60% of men reported drinking alcohol in the past month compared to 48% of women. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Men are also more likely to engage in heavy or binge drinking than women. In 2019, 23% of men reported binge drinking in the past month compared to 12% of women. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
Alcohol Consumption by Ethnicity
- Among White individuals aged 18 or older, approximately 57% reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Among Black individuals aged 18 or older, approximately 46% reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Among Hispanic individuals aged 18 or older, approximately 47% reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Among Asian individuals aged 18 or older, approximately 32% reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
Underage Drinking in the United States (ages 12 to 20)
- Approximately 7.4 million people aged 12 to 20 reported consuming alcohol in the past month. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- In 2019, an estimated 401,000 adolescents ages 12-17 had AUD. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Underage drinking accounts for about 11% of all the alcohol consumed in the United States. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- About 1 in 5 high school students in the United States reports binge drinking within the past month. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- In a national survey, nearly one-third of high school students reported drinking some amount of alcohol before age 13. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Alcohol Use Disorder Prevalence
- Approximately 14.5 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older had alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2019. This includes 9.0 million men and 5.5 million women. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Among people aged 12 or older, approximately 5.8% had AUD in the past year, with higher rates among males than females (7.3% vs. 4.4%). (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- The prevalence of AUD was highest among adults aged 18 to 29 years old (14.4%) compared to those aged 30 to 44 years old (11.6%), aged 45 to 64 years old (7.1%), and aged over 65 years old (1.4%). (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment
- Only about 6.2% of adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) receive treatment in a specialized facility, while an estimated 7.9% receive treatment from a general medical provider.
- Among adults aged 18 or older who received treatment for alcohol use in the past year, approximately 36% received outpatient care, while 20% received inpatient care and 19% received both types of care.
- The most common form of treatment for AUD is behavioral therapy, which is used by approximately 70% of all people who receive treatment for alcohol use.
- An estimated 95% of people with severe substance use disorders do not receive any type of specialized treatment.
Alcohol Abuse and Pregnancy
- Approximately 1 in 14 pregnant women in the United States (7.0%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) affect an estimated 1% of live births in the United States each year. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Alcohol-Related Emergencies and Deaths
- In 2019, approximately 14% of emergency department visits in the United States were related to alcohol use. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- In 2018, there were approximately 2,200 alcohol-related liver disease deaths among people ages 12 and older in the United States. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- About one-third of all fire-related deaths in the United States are caused by alcohol-impaired individuals. (National Fire Protection Association)
- Approximately 10% of all drowning deaths involve alcohol consumption. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- In 2018, there were approximately 10,000 deaths due to drunk driving accidents in the United States, accounting for almost one-third of all traffic fatalities. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
Economic Burden of Alcohol Misuse in the United States
- The cost of lost productivity due to alcohol-related absenteeism and presenteeism was estimated to be $92.7 billion in 2010.
- Alcohol misuse is responsible for about 10% of all workplace deaths and 40% of workplace fatalities among workers aged 16-20 years old.
- In 2010, alcohol-attributable healthcare costs were estimated to be $28 billion, or about 1.2% of all healthcare spending in the United States.
- The cost of treating alcohol-related problems in emergency departments was estimated to be $17 billion in 2010.
- Alcohol misuse is responsible for about one-third of all motor vehicle crash costs (i.e., damages, medical expenses, wage losses) totaling an estimated $44 billion annually.
Alcohol Abuse and Domestic Violence
- Approximately 25% of domestic violence cases involve alcohol abuse by the perpetrator.
- One study found that men with drinking problems were almost twice as likely to engage in physical violence against their partners compared to men without drinking problems.
- Women who experience intimate partner violence are more likely to have a problem with alcohol than women who do not experience such violence.
- In one survey, 55% of victims of domestic violence reported that their abuser had been drinking or using drugs before the incident occurred.
- Among college students involved in dating violence, approximately 60% reported that their partner was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident.
Alcohol-Related Deaths in the United States
- Approximately 10% of all drowning deaths involve alcohol consumption. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- In 2018, there were approximately 10,000 deaths due to drunk driving accidents in the United States, accounting for almost one-third of all traffic fatalities. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
- About one-third of all fire-related deaths in the United States are caused by alcohol-impaired individuals. (National Fire Protection Association)
- In 2018, there were approximately 2,200 alcohol-related liver disease deaths among people ages 12 and older in the United States. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Long-term Health Consequences of Heavy Alcohol Consumption
- Chronic heavy alcohol use can lead to liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatitis. In the United States, approximately 14.5 million adults have alcoholic liver disease, accounting for about half of all cases. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Heavy alcohol consumption can also increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer. In fact, alcohol consumption accounts for about 5% of all cancer-related deaths worldwide. (World Health Organization)
- Approximately 30% of people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol develop pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas that can cause long-term damage to the organ. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Chronic heavy drinking can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke. In fact, about 10% of all strokes are caused by alcohol consumption. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Heavy alcohol use is a leading cause of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Studies suggest that up to one-third of people with major depression also have a problem with alcohol abuse or dependence. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
FAQs
What is considered heavy alcohol use?
Heavy alcohol use is defined as consuming more than 14 drinks per week for men and more than 7 drinks per week for women.
Binge drinking is also considered a form of heavy alcohol use, and it involves consuming enough alcohol to bring the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08% or higher within a two-hour period.
What are some common risk factors for developing alcohol use disorder?
Some common risk factors for developing alcohol use disorder include genetics, family history of alcoholism, early age of first drink, peer pressure, high levels of stress or anxiety, and underlying mental health conditions such as depression or bipolar disorder.
How can I tell if someone has a problem with alcohol?
Signs that someone may have a problem with alcohol include drinking alone or in secret, neglecting responsibilities at work or home due to drinking, experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking, continuing to drink despite negative consequences like legal problems or relationship issues, and needing to drink more to achieve the desired effect.
Can alcohol abuse lead to physical health problems?
Yes. Heavy and prolonged alcohol use can cause a range of physical health problems including liver disease (such as cirrhosis), pancreatitis, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, cancer (including breast cancer), weakened immune system and anemia.
Is there help available for people struggling with alcohol abuse?
Yes. There are many treatment options available for people struggling with alcohol abuse including counseling and behavioral therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI).
Medications such as naltrexone and acamprosate may also be used in conjunction with therapy. Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can also provide ongoing support and encouragement during recovery.
Conclusion
Alcohol abuse and addiction are major public health concerns that have serious consequences. In the United States, millions of adults struggle with alcohol use disorder.
Additionally, underage drinking is a persistent issue that can have long-term negative effects on health and well-being. It's crucial that we prioritize education, prevention, and treatment resources in order to reduce the harm caused by alcohol in our communities.
References
- https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
- https://drugabusestatistics.org/alcohol-abuse-statistics/
- https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/data-stats.htm
- https://ourworldindata.org/alcohol-consumption
- https://www.wellbrookrecovery.com/post/alcohol-withdrawal
