Table of Contents

Component Description

This section on alcohol use (ALQ) focuses on lifetime and current use (past 12 months). Questions are not specific to type of alcohol used.

Eligible Sample

Sample person aged 12 years and older were eligible. Only data from participants aged 20 years and older are included in this release. Special use data files for participants 12-19 years are available through the NCHS Research Data Center.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

The Alcohol questionnaire is administered for ages 20 years and older during the physical exam, at the examination center, using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing –CAPI (interviewer administered) system. The Alcohol questionnaire is administered to the 12-19 year old particpants during the phsical exam, at the examination center, using the Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing – ACASI (self-administered) system.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The CAPI system is programmed with built-in consistency checks to reduce data entry errors. CAPI also uses online help screens to assist interviewers in defining key terms used in the questionnaire.

The ACASI was conducted in either English or Spanish. The ACASI enables respondents both to hear questions through earphones and read questions on the computer screen. Respondents move at their own speed and touch the screen to indicate their response. No proxy respondents or translators were used in situations when the respondents could not self-report. The system was programmed to alert respondents of potential data entry errors or problems. When a response was entered, that had been programmed as unlikely, respondents were allowed to proceed after confirming that their entry was correct. When a response was entered that had been programmed as an error, respondents were prohibited from continuing with the ACASI until the error was corrected.

Data Processing and Editing

The data were edited for completeness, consistency, and illogical values.

Analytic Notes

Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues. Both of these are available on the NHANES website.

Special use data files for participants 12-19 years are available through the NCHS Research Data Center (RDC).

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 - 150 YEARS

ALQ101 - Had at least 12 alcohol drinks/1 yr?

Variable Name:
ALQ101
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 5 oz. glass of wine, or one and half ounces of liquor.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 3670 3670 ALQ120Q
2 No 1557 5227
7 Refused 0 5227
9 Don't know 6 5233
. Missing 474 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 765 765
2 No 789 1554 End of Section
7 Refused 0 1554 End of Section
9 Don't know 9 1563 End of Section
. Missing 4144 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 366
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 365 Range of Values 4423 4423
777 Refused 0 4423
999 Don't know 11 4434
. Missing 1273 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Week 1383 1383
2 Month 819 2202
3 Year 1110 3312
7 Refused 0 3312
9 Don't know 0 3312
. Missing 2395 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 to 83 Range of Values 3312 3312
777 Refused 0 3312
999 Don't know 11 3323
. Missing 2384 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 366
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 365 Range of Values 3306 3306
7777 Refused 0 3306
9999 Don't know 17 3323
. Missing 2384 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Week 348 348
2 Month 263 611
3 Year 659 1270
7 Refused 0 1270
9 Don't know 0 1270
. Missing 4437 5707

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 - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 765 765
2 No 3665 4430
7 Refused 0 4430
9 Don't know 4 4434
. Missing 1273 5707