Alcohol results from the NACD 2010/11 Drug Prevalence Survey

1. Alcohol results from the NACD 2010/11 Drug Prevalence Survey Dr Deirdre Mongan

2. Objective Obtain reliable prevalence rates on: • Frequency and volume of drinking • Harmful drinking patterns • Harm from own drinking • Harm from others’ drinking

3. Methodology • Representative sample 4,843 respondents aged 18-64 years • Fieldwork Oct 2010 – June 2011 • Response rate – 60% • Demographics – gender, age, education, marital status and social class

4. Frequency of drinking • 87% (89% males, 85% females) were current drinkers • Highest among females aged 18-24 years (94%) • Lowest among females aged 50-64 years (79%) • 31% of men and 21% of women consumed alcohol at least twice weekly

5. Volume of drinking • 24% consumed 1-2 standard drinks/drinking occasion • Most common among adults aged 50-64 years (34%) • 27% consumed 7+ standard drinks/drinking occasion • Highest among males 18-24 years (60%) and 25-34 years (48%)

6. Harmful drinking patterns • Risky Single Occasion Drinking (binge drinking) • AUDIT-C screening tool • RAPS – used to screen for dependence

7. Risky Single Occasion Drinking (RSOD) • 45% of adults aged 18-64 engaged in RSOD at least once per month in the year prior to the survey • This corresponds to 52% of drinkers • 64% of male drinkers • 39% of female drinkers • RSOD was most common among 18-24-year-olds (72%)

8. AUDIT-C screening tool • 50% of adults aged 18-64 scored positive for harmful drinking using the AUDIT-C screening tool • This corresponds to 58% of drinkers • 71% of male drinkers • 44% of female drinkers

9. AUDIT-C: gender and age

10. RAPS screening tool • 23% reported feelings of guilt or remorse • 24% reported that friends/family told them about things they said/did that they did not remember • 12% reported that they failed to do what was normally expected • 2% reported that they needed a first drink in the morning • Two or more positive scores (18%) • 23% males, 14% females • Three or more positive scores (7%)

11. RAPS screening tool: gender and age

12. Alcohol consumption by demographics • Education and social class did not predict harmful drinking patterns • Single drinkers were more likely to drink in a harmful manner than married drinkers of the same age • 75% of single drinkers aged 18-34 years had a positive AUDIT-C score compared with 54% of married/cohabiting drinkers of the same age

13. Harm from own drinking Six harms – harm to health, home life, work, friendships, being involved in an accident or fight • 20% experienced at least one of these harms as a result of their drinking • 26% males, 14% females • 13% reported harm to health • Most common among those aged 18-24 years (24%) • Males aged 18-24 years were most likely to have been in a fight (24%) or an accident (11%)

14. Harm from others’ drinking Five harms – family and money problems, being assaulted, being a passenger with a drunk driver, property vandalised • 27% experienced harm as a result of someone else’s drinking • 14% reported family problems • Most common among females aged 25-34 years (19%) and males and females aged 18-24 years (18%)

15. Summary • Most adults aged 18-64 years consumed alcohol with older females most likely to abstain from alcohol • According to the AUDIT-C screening tool the majority of drinkers consumed alcohol in a harmful manner, which is consistent with previous research • Harmful drinking patterns were most common among those aged 18-24 years • Males were most likely to experience alcohol-related harm from their and others’ drinking