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Binge Drinking, Other Substance Use, and Concurrent Use in the U.S., 2016-2018
Marissa B Esser1, Cassandra M Pickens2, Gery P Guy2
1Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|January 23, 2021
Summary
Binge drinking significantly increases the risk of other substance use and prescription drug misuse. This highlights the need for integrated prevention strategies targeting alcohol consumption and polysubstance use to reduce overdose deaths.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Substance Use Research
Background:
- Multiple substance use, including alcohol, is a significant risk factor for overdose mortality.
- The relationship between alcohol consumption patterns and the use of other substances is not fully understood.
- Assessing these associations is crucial for developing effective overdose prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between binge drinking and the use of other substances in the U.S.
- To investigate the concurrent use of alcohol and prescription drug misuse.
- To determine how other substance use varies with the frequency of binge drinking.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of past 30-day alcohol and other substance use data from the 2016-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
- Inclusion of 169,486 U.S. respondents aged 12 years and older.
- Statistical analysis to assess associations and odds ratios.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of other substance use was higher among binge drinkers (24.1%) compared to nondrinkers (6.0%).
- Binge drinking was associated with significantly greater odds of other substance use (aOR=4.2).
- Binge drinkers were twice as likely to report concurrent prescription drug misuse; substance use increased with binge-drinking frequency.
Conclusions:
- Binge drinking is strongly associated with other substance use and concurrent prescription drug misuse.
- Findings support integrated prevention approaches for binge drinking, substance misuse, and overdoses.
- Population-level strategies to prevent binge drinking may reduce polysubstance use and overdose risk.
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