Table of Contents

Component Description

The questions in this section covered lifetime and recent (past 12 months) use of alcohol for ages 20 years and over. The variable name prefix is ALQ.

Eligible Sample

Sample persons aged 20 years and older were eligible. Special use data files on alcohol use for participants 12-19 years (MEC Audio-CASI interview) will be available through the NCHS Research Data Center.

Exclusion Criteria

Mentally impaired individuals or participants who were unable to comprehend English or Spanish were excluded. 

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

 Data Collection Methodology

Sample persons aged 20 years and older: Personal (face-to-face) interview in the MEC using NHANES CAPI software. Interviews were conducted in English or Spanish.

MEC Interviewer Staff

Two bilingual (English & Spanish) MEC interviewers were assigned to each MEC team for CAPI.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The NHANES CAPI system had built-in consistency checks, including range checks, valid response checks, and checks for logical relationships.

Analytic Notes

 Special Notes on Using the Dataset

Information on alcohol intake in the 24 hour time period prior to the NHANES health examination was included in the 24-hour dietary recall interview, a component of the NHANES health examination.

Codebook and Frequencies

SEQN - Respondent sequence number

Variable Name:
SEQN
SAS Label:
Respondent sequence number
English Text:
Respondent sequence number.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS

ALQ100 - Had at least 12 alcohol drinks/1 yr?

Variable Name:
ALQ100
SAS Label:
Had at least 12 alcohol drinks/1 yr?
English Text:
The next questions are about drinking alcoholic beverages. Included are liquor (such as whiskey or gin), beer, wine, wine coolers, and any other type of alcoholic beverage. In any one year, {have you/has SP} had at least 12 drinks of any type of alcoholic beverage? By a drink, I mean a 12 oz. beer, a 4 oz. glass of wine, or an ounce of liquor.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 2753 2753 ALQ120Q
2 No 1405 4158
7 Refused 0 4158
9 Don't know 3 4161
. Missing 283 4444

ALQ110 - Had at least 12 alcohol drinks/lifetime?

Variable Name:
ALQ110
SAS Label:
Had at least 12 alcohol drinks/lifetime?
English Text:
In {your/SP's} entire life, {have you/has he/ has she} had at least 12 drinks of any type of alcoholic beverage?
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 766 766
2 No 642 1408 End of Section
7 Refused 0 1408 End of Section
9 Don't know 0 1408 End of Section
. Missing 3036 4444

ALQ120Q - How often drink alcohol over past 12 mos

Variable Name:
ALQ120Q
SAS Label:
How often drink alcohol over past 12 mos
English Text:
In the past 12 months, how often did {you/SP} drink any type of alcoholic beverage? PROBE: How many days per week, per month, or per year did {you/SP} drink?
English Instructions:
ENTER '0' FOR NEVER. ENTER QUANTITY.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 366
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 365 Range of Values 3514 3514
777 Refused 0 3514
999 Don't know 5 3519
. Missing 925 4444

ALQ120U - # days drink alcohol per wk, mo, yr

Variable Name:
ALQ120U
SAS Label:
# days drink alcohol per wk, mo, yr
English Text:
UNIT OF MEASURE.
English Instructions:
ENTER UNIT.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Week 1055 1055
2 Month 670 1725
3 Year 926 2651
7 Refused 0 2651
9 Don't know 0 2651
. Missing 1793 4444

ALQ130 - Avg # alcoholic drinks/day -past 12 mos

Variable Name:
ALQ130
SAS Label:
Avg # alcoholic drinks/day -past 12 mos
English Text:
In the past 12 months, on those days that {you/SP} drank alcoholic beverages, on the average, how many drinks did {you/he/she} have?
English Instructions:
IF LESS THAN 1 DRINK, ENTER '1'. IF 95 DRINKS OR MORE, ENTER '95'. ENTER # OF DRINKS.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 to 36 Range of Values 2650 2650
77 Refused 0 2650
99 Don't know 6 2656
. Missing 1788 4444

ALQ140Q - #days have 5 or more drinks/past 12 mos

Variable Name:
ALQ140Q
SAS Label:
#days have 5 or more drinks/past 12 mos
English Text:
In the past 12 months, on how many days did {you/SP} have 5 or more drinks of any alcoholic beverage? PROBE: How many days per week, per month, or per year did {you/SP} have 5 or more drinks in a single day?
English Instructions:
ENTER '0' FOR NONE. ENTER QUANTITY.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 366
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 365 Range of Values 2649 2649
777 Refused 0 2649
999 Don't know 7 2656
. Missing 1788 4444

ALQ140U - # days per week, month, year?

Variable Name:
ALQ140U
SAS Label:
# days per week, month, year?
English Text:
UNIT OF MEASURE.
English Instructions:
ENTER UNIT.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Week 183 183
2 Month 123 306
3 Year 673 979
7 Refused 0 979
9 Don't know 0 979
. Missing 3465 4444

ALQ150 - Ever have 5 or more drinks every day?

Variable Name:
ALQ150
SAS Label:
Ever have 5 or more drinks every day?
English Text:
Was there ever a time or times in {your/SP's} life when {you/he/she} drank 5 or more drinks of any kind of alcoholic beverage almost every day?
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 120 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 663 663
2 No 2851 3514
7 Refused 1 3515
9 Don't know 4 3519
. Missing 925 4444