Definition
'''Heavy drinking''' is defined as consuming 8 or more alcoholic beverages per week for women or 15 or more alcoholic beverages per week for men. It is listed as the percentage of adults aged 18 years and older who reported heavy drinking during the 30 days prior to the survey.
[[img src ="https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/alcohol-screening-counseling/images/problem1_970px.jpg" width = "652" height= "455"]]Numerator
Number of survey respondents who reported heavy drinking during the 30 days prior to the survey.Denominator
Number of survey respondents excluding those with missing, "Don't know/Not sure" or "Refused" responses.Data Interpretation Issues
As with all surveys, some error results from non-response (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions), and measurement (e.g., social desirability or recall bias). Errors were minimized by the use of strict calling protocols, good questionnaire design, standardization of interviewer behavior, interviewer training, and frequent, on-site interviewer monitoring and supervision.
The CDC defines heavy drinking as 8 or more alcoholic beverages per week for women or 15 or more alcoholic beverages per week for men. However, because this is a calculated variable and there is the need to incorporate a continuous range of responses, the definition used in the calculation is, "more than 14 drinks for men" and "more than 7 drinks for women".Why Is This Important?
'''Heavy drinking''' is a type of excessive alcohol use. It exceeds the Dietary Guidelines for Americans definition of moderate drinking which is up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.
Most heavy drinkers are also binge drinkers.
According to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol use is responsible for '''140,557 deaths in the United States''' each year, including 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20-64 years.^1^ Estimates also suggest that '''903 Utahns''' die from alcohol-attributable causes each year and Utah is ranked seventh in the nation for alcohol poisoning deaths.^2^
Excessive alcohol use is also associated with many health and social harms, including '''liver cirrhosis, certain cancers, unintentional injuries, violence, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder'''. Excessive drinking cost the United States $249 billion in 2010.^3^ In 2014, the cost of excessive alcohol use in Utah was estimated to be $1.2 billion.^4^[[br]]
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#Preventing Chronic Disease, 2014, Contribution of excessive alcohol consumption to deaths and years of potential life lost in the United States
#Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) application, 2021. Available at [http://www.cdc.gov/ARDI]
#American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 2010, National and State Costs of Excessive Alcohol Consumption
#Utah Department of Public Safety, Alcohol Abuse Tracking Committee, 2016 ReportOther Objectives
Healthy People Objective SA-15, Reduce the proportion of adults who drank excessively in the previous 30 days, includes adults who reported heavy drinking and/or binge drinking.How Are We Doing?
Using data from both landline and cell phones in 2022, it was estimated that '''5.0%''' (crude rate) of Utah adults reported heavy drinking in the 30 days before the survey.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Estimates for 2022 show that '''6.9%''' of U.S. adults reported heavy drinking in the past 30 days whereas '''5.0%''' of Utah adults reported heavy drinking (crude rates).What Is Being Done?
The [https://sumh.utah.gov/ Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health] is the agency responsible for ensuring that substance abuse and mental health prevention and treatment services are available statewide. The Division also acts as a resource by providing general information, research, and statistics to the public regarding substances of abuse and mental health services.Evidence-based Practices
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends evidence-based strategies to reduce excessive alcohol consumption in [https://www.thecommunityguide.org/topics/excessive-alcohol-consumption.html The Community Guide].
These strategies include:
# Increasing alcoholic beverage costs
# Limiting the number of retail alcohol outlets that sell alcoholic beverages in a given area
# Holding alcohol retailers responsible for the harms caused by their underage or intoxicated patrons (dram shop liability)
# Restricting access to alcohol by maintaining limits on the days and hours of alcohol retail sales
# Consistent enforcement of laws against underage drinking and alcohol-impaired driving
# Screening and counseling for alcohol misuse. [[br]]
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''The Community Preventive Services task force is an independent body of prevention and public health experts.''Health Program Information
A drink of alcohol is equivalent to a '''12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a drink with one shot of liquor'''.[[br]]
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====A Standard Drink ====
[[img src="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/introduction-standard-drink-sidebar.png"]]
Knowing standard drink sizes and the number of drinks per container can help you make informed decisions about your drinking.
Find a '''standard drink size calculator tool''' from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at [https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/tools/Calculators/drink-size-calculator.aspx].
