[The National Survey on Addiction Problems in Hungary 2023 (NSAPH): Methodology and sample description]

The paper presents the general methodological background and main methodological results of the 2023 wave of the National Survey on Addiction Problems in Hungary (NSAPH). The ultimate aim of the research was to provide a comprehensive epidemiological overview of addictive problems, including substance use-related behaviours and behavioural addictions) among the adult population in Hungary, complemented by some objectives to develop/refresh the conceptual framework and indicators. The study presents the measurement instruments used in the research, the sampling and data collection strategy employed, and the methodological results related to sample selection and the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments used.

The survey was conducted on a nationally representative sample of 2200 gross, 1800 net population aged 18-64, using a mixed survey technique combining face-to-face interviewing with self-completion elements. The theoretical margin of error at the 95% confidence level is ±2.3%. Sample outliers were corrected by matrix weighting by stratum category. The data collection battery used in the survey covered substance use behaviours (smoking, alcohol and other psychoactive substance use), different behavioural addictions (problematic internet use, gaming disorder, problem social media use, problematic mobile phone use, gambling disorder, exercise addiction, eating disorders, work addiction, compulsive buying-shopping behaviour) and included instruments to map socio-demographic and psychological background. The reliability and validity of the data obtained along the target variables were analysed by means of indicators calculated on the basis of the correlations between the answers to the different logically related questions in the questionnaire, the proportion of missing and invalid answers, the proportion of consumption responses to a so-called dummy drug, and by examining the internal consistency of the standard scales used.

Based on the proportion of consistent users in relation to the lifetime prevalence value, it can be concluded that for the majority of the substances tested, the lifetime prevalence values contain a higher proportion of consistent data. Compared to sociodemographic questions, which can be considered neutral, the proportion of missing and invalid responses for the addictive behaviours studied can be considered relatively high, but good compared to other sensitive questions. The degree of overestimation is negligible.

Ove-rall, the methodological results of the OLAAP 2023 survey suggest that valid and reliable conclusions can be drawn from the survey data with regard to the current characteristics and patterns of the addictive behaviours under investigation. The trends in out-of-sample errors in substance use behaviour indicate that, in addition to the increased attention that is still needed, the careful interpretation of results and the use of estimation procedures developed over the years and continued in this research, we can rely somewhat greater confidence than before on results obtained using standard measurement instruments when analysing changes.