Citation

Buckley C, Brennan A, Kerr WC, Probst C, Puka K, Purshouse RC, Rehm J. Int. J. Alcohol Drug Res. 2022; 10(1): 24-33.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Kettil Bruun Society for Epidemiological Research on Alcohol)

DOI

10.7895/ijadr.383

PMID

37090902

PMCID

PMC10117538

Abstract

AIMS: While nationally representative alcohol surveys are a mainstay of public health monitoring, they underestimate consumption at the population level. This paper demonstrates how to adjust individual-level survey data using aggregated alcohol per capita (APC) data for improved individual- and population-level consumption estimates. DESIGN AND METHODS: For the period 1984-2020, data on self-reported alcohol consumption in the past 30 days were taken from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) involving participants (18+ years) in the United States (US). Monthly abstainers were reallocated into lifetime abstainers, former drinkers, and 12-month drinkers using the 2005 National Alcohol Survey data. To correct for under-coverage of alcohol use, we triangulated APC and survey data by upshifting quantity (average grams/day) and frequency (drinking days/week) of alcohol use based on national- and state-level APC data.

RESULTS were provided for the US as a whole and for selected states to represent different drinking patterns.

FINDINGS: The corrections described above resulted in improved correspondence between survey and APC data. Following our procedure, national estimates of alcohol quantity increased from 45% to 77% of APC estimates. Both quantity and frequency of alcohol use were upshifted; by upshifting to 90% of APC, we were able to fit trends and distributions in APC patterns for individual states and the US.

CONCLUSIONS: An individual-level dataset which more accurately reflects the alcohol use of US citizens was achieved. This dataset will be invaluable as a research tool and for the planning and evaluation of alcohol control policies for the US. The methodology described can also be used to adjust individual-level alcohol survey data in other geographical settings.

Language: en

Keywords

Epidemiology; Alcohol drinking; Population health; Survey data; Synthetic populations