June 18, 2009 |
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Almost one in twelve (7.9 percent) fathers living with adolescents aged 12 to 17 had an alcohol use disorder, while 68.1 percent used alcohol in the past year but did not have an alcohol use disorder; 24.1 percent did not use alcohol in the past year (Figure 1). Nearly one third (31.2 percent) of fathers living with adolescents indicated binge alcohol use in the past month.4
Alcohol Use | Percent |
---|---|
Alcohol Use, but No Alcohol Use Disorder | 68.1% |
No Alcohol Use | 24.1% |
Alcohol Use Disorder | 7.9% |
* Percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding. |
Source: 2002 to 2007 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
The rate of past year alcohol use among adolescents was lower for those who lived with a father who did not use alcohol in the past year than for those who lived with a father who used alcohol but did not have an alcohol use disorder and for those who lived with a father with an alcohol use disorder (21.1 vs. 33.2 and 38.8 percent, respectively) (Figure 2). Adolescents' past year alcohol use rates did not differ significantly between those who lived with fathers who had an alcohol use disorder and those who lived with fathers who used alcohol but who did not have an alcohol use disorder.
Adolescent Outcomes | Father Did Not Use Alcohol | Father Used Alcohol, but Did Not Have an Alcohol Use Disorder | Father Had an Alcohol Use Disorder |
---|---|---|---|
Past Year Alcohol Use | 21.1% | 33.2% | 38.8% |
Past Month Binge Alcohol Use* | 5.7% | 9.2% | 13.1% |
Past Year Alcohol Use Disorder | 3.0% | 4.7% | 10.3% |
* Binge alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. |
Source: 2002 to 2007 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
The rates of past month binge alcohol use and past year alcohol use disorder among adolescents increased with the level of paternal alcohol use. For example, the rate of alcohol use disorder among adolescents who lived with a father who did not use alcohol in the past year was lower than the rate among those who lived with a father who used alcohol in the past year but did not have an alcohol use disorder (3.0 vs. 4.7 percent), which in turn was lower than the rate among those who lived with a father with an alcohol use disorder (10.3 percent).
Paternal alcohol use also was related to adolescent illicit drug use. The percentage of adolescents using illicit drugs in the past year increased with the level of paternal alcohol use, with illicit drug use reported by 14.0 percent of adolescents who lived with a father who did not use alcohol in the past year, 18.4 percent of those who lived with a father who used alcohol but did not have an alcohol use disorder, and 24.2 percent of those who lived with a father with an alcohol use disorder (Figure 3). The rate of past year illicit drug use disorder among adolescents was 2.6 percent among those who lived with a father who did not use alcohol in the past year, 3.9 percent among those who lived with a father who used alcohol but did not have an alcohol use disorder, and 4.2 percent among those who lived with a father with an alcohol use disorder.
Adolescent Outcomes | Father Did Not Use Alcohol | Father Used Alcohol, but Did Not Have an Alcohol Use Disorder | Father Had an Alcohol Use Disorder |
---|---|---|---|
Past Year Illicit Drug Use | 14.0% | 18.4% | 24.2% |
Past Year Illicit Drug Use Disorder | 2.6% | 3.9% | 4.2% |
Source: 2002 to 2007 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Alcohol use among fathers, even at levels not sufficient to warrant a diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder, is associated with several substance use behaviors and disorders among the adolescent children who live with them. These findings highlight the continuing need to educate fathers, mothers, and family support systems professionals about the potential impact of paternal alcohol use on adolescent substance use. In addition, these findings suggest the importance of providing treatment for fathers with alcohol use disorders and family support services for children of these fathers.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 2002 to 2007 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 11,056 fathers who responded and 9,537 father-child respondent pairs. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) The most recent information on NSDUH is available in the following publication: Office of Applied Studies. (2008). Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 08-4343, NSDUH Series H-34). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. |
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov.
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SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.
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