The development of National Alcohol Screening Day.

Abstract

Alcohol use disorders (i.e., alcohol abuse and dependence) are common, with a lifetime prevalence of 14% and a 1-year prevalence of 7.4%.' Nearly 14 million Americans-one in every 13 U.S. adults-met standard diagnostic criteria for these disorders during 1992.' Many more people are hurt by the effects of a loved one's drinking. About 43% of U.S. adults have grown up with or married someone with a drinking problem.2 he adverse consequences of alcohol problems can impact all aspects of life, damaging physical health, job functioning, interpersonal relationships, and mental and emotional well-being. One national survey3 estimated that in addition to individuals who have alcohol use disorders in a given year, another 20% could be classified as drinkers. Risky drinkers are defined as those whose average daily consumption of alcohol exceeds two drinks for men and one drink for women, or who drank more than five drinks in any single day during the previous year.4 Despite the prevalence of alcohol use disorders, as well as the large proportion of the adult population that fits into the category of risky drinkers, only 3.4 million Americans-less than 25% of those suffering from an alcohol use disorder-received treatment in 1994.5 This disparity between the prevalence and the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol use disorders led to the idea of creating a National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) program. Routine screening for a disorder could promote earlier intervention as well as increase the treated prevalence of that condition. Screening for a disorder is warranted when effec