| Demographic Group: | Resident males aged >=18 years. |
| Numerator: | Male respondents aged >=18 years who report an average daily alcohol consumption of >2 drinks. |
| Denominator: | Male respondents aged >=18 years who report a specific number, including zero, for the average number of daily drinks (excluding unknowns and refusals). |
| Measures of Frequency: | Annual prevalence — crude and age-adjusted (standardized by the direct method to the year 2000 standard U.S. population, distribution 9*) — with 95% confidence interval. |
| Time Period of Case Definition: | Average day. |
| Background: | In 2003, a total of 6.9% of adult men reported an average daily consumption of >2 alcoholic drinks. |
| Significance: | Approximately 85,000 deaths each year in the United States are attributed to alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is strongly associated with injuries, violence, chronic liver disease, and risk of other acute and chronic health effects. |
| Limitations of Indicator: | The indicator does not convey the specific amount of alcohol consumed. |
| Data Resources: | Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
http://wonder.cdc.gov |
| Limitations of Data Resources: | As with all self-reported sample surveys, BRFSS data might be subject to systematic error resulting from noncoverage (e.g., lower telephone coverage among populations of low socioeconomic status), nonresponse (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions), or measurement (e.g., social desirability or recall bias). |
| Healthy People 2010 Objectives: | 26-13: Reduce the proportion of adults who exceed the guidelines for low-risk drinking. (26-13a is specific for females; 26-13b is specific for males.) |
