Alcohol problems hit nearly 1 in 3 adults
By Bruce Bower
A new, large-scale survey of U.S. adults finds that about 30 percent report having engaged in harmful patterns of alcohol consumption. Nearly 18 percent cite past or current alcohol abuse, which includes repeatedly missing work because of inebriation and driving while drunk. Another 12.5 percent have grappled with alcohol dependence, which typically includes a need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol and the emergence of physical withdrawal symptoms when sober.
Bridget F. Grant of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda, Md., and her colleagues analyzed data from interviews conducted in 2001 and 2002 with 43,093 adults chosen to represent the whole U.S. population.