Alcoholism Statistics

Alcoholism – Statistics for the USA

General Alcoholism Statistics

• Professionals estimate that 40% of the population will have an addiction problem at some point in their life (alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc).

• An alcoholic or addict will significantly impact an average of 4-5 other lives (family, friends, associates, etc.) while under the influence of the disease.

• The odds of an alcoholic or addict quitting drinking or using alcohol "on their own" without professional help or regular recovery meetings is 1 in 50,000.

• Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths annually.

• 8.1 million people are alcoholic.

• Most alcoholics seeking treatment are in the 26-34 age group.

• 3.1 million Americans -- approximately 1.4% of the population 12 and older -- received treatment for alcoholism and alcohol-related problems in 1997.

• 3 million Americans over the age of 60 are alcoholics or have serious drinking problems.

• 10% of the U.S. population’s drinkers drink 50% of all alcohol consumed.

• 66% of the population consumes alcohol.

• Alcoholism statistics indicate 13.8 million Americans, more than 7% of the population 18 years and older, have problems with drinking.

• Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in this country 20% of suicide victims are alcoholic.

Driving Under the Influence

• On average, one alcohol-related traffic accident occurs every 30 minutes.

• According to recent alcoholism statistics, 79% of fatal crashes occurring from midnight to three in the morning involve alcohol.

• In 2002 an estimated 17,419 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes.

• Weekends account for 54% of fatal crashes as compared to 32% during the week.

• The highest intoxication rates in fatal crashes in 2001 was recorded for drivers 21-24 years old (33%), followed by ages 25-34 (28%) and 35-44 (25%).

• More than 500,000 people were injured in crashes involving alcohol.

• One person is injured in an alcohol related accident approximately every two minutes.

• Beer accounted for most of the alcohol related fatalities in traffic accidents.

• 30 % of Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.

The Social Impact of Problem Drinking

• 6.6 million children under the age of 18 live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.

• Accidents and suicides associated with alcohol problems are prominent during teen years.

• 50% of all traffic fatalities and 33% of all traffic injuries are related to alcohol.

• About 43% of U.S. adults are exposed to alcoholism in the family by a direct relation or as someone they know in the family.

• 53 percent of men and women in the United States report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem.

• Nearly 14 million Americans abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.

• About 43% of adults in the U.S. have had a parent, child, sibling or spouse who is or was an alcoholic.

Teen Drinking

• It is estimated that more than 3,000,000 teens in the United States today between the ages of 14-17 are problem drinkers.

• Youths who began drinking before age 15 were twice as likely to develop an alcohol abuse problem and four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence, compared with persons who did not begin drinking before age 21.

• Alcoholism statistics indicate 6.6 million children under 18 live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.

• Accordng to recent research, 62% of high school seniors report that they have been drunk recently.

• Alcoholism statistics indicate 31% of high school seniors indicate they have had five or more drinks in a row during the recent past.

Gender and Alcoholism

• Almost three times as many men (9.8 million) as women (3.9 million) are problem drinkers

• 53% of men and women in the United States reported that one or more of their close relatives has a drinking problem

• The 18-to-29 age group is the most susceptible for both sexes

Suicides and Deaths Related to Alcohol

• 20% of suicide victims are alcoholics

• 1/3 of alcoholic deaths are from suicides or accidents such as drowning, head injuries from falling and car crashes

• Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths annually, making it the third leading cause of preventable mortality in the United States

• Although there are fewer deaths from alcohol related causes than from cancer or heart disease, alcohol-related deaths tend to occur at much younger ages