Citation

Midanik LT, Greenfield TK. Am. J. Public Health 2000; 90(1): 53-56.

Affiliation

University of California at Berkeley, School of Social Welfare, USA. lmidanik@uclink4.berkeley.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American Public Health Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10630137

PMCID

PMC1446130

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Given the decline in alcohol use in the United States since the 1980s, the purpose of this study was to assess shifts in self-reported social consequences of alcohol use (and 5 consequences subscales) and dependence symptoms from 1984 to 1995. METHODS: This study used data from 3 national alcohol surveys based on household probability samples of current drinkers (adults) in 1984, 1990, and 1995; samples sizes were 1,503, 1,338, and 1,417, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, few changes in prevalence of social consequences or dependence symptoms were found. Significantly lower prevalence rates of 2 consequences subscales (accidents/legal problems and work problems) were reported between 1984 and 1990, but prevalence rates did not change for any of the scales from 1990 to 1995. CONCLUSIONS: This stability in alcohol-related outcomes despite reductions in alcohol consumption may be a result of cultural shifts in which problem amplification occurs in "drier" historical periods. Furthermore, rates of alcohol-related problems may be approaching their lowest limit and may not be readily influenced by any additional decreases in alcohol consumption.