Table of Contents

Component Description

This short section on alcohol use (ALQ) focused on age of first drink (initiation), lifetime and current use (past 30 days). Questions were not specific to type of alcohol used.

Eligible Sample

12-19 years.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

The NHANES Audio Computer Assisted Interview (ACASI) was administered in a private room in the MEC. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. The ACASI enables respondents to hear questions through earphones as well as read the questions on the computer monitor. The respondents proceeded through the questions at their own speed; touch screens were used to select responses to the questions. No proxy respondents or translators were permitted.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

Data collections software included consistency checks, including range checks, valid response checks, and checks for logical relationships. Soft edits alerted respondents to a potential error or problems, but allowed the respondents to proceed after confirming that the entry was correct. Hard edits prohibited the respondents from continuing with the ACASI until the error was corrected.

Data Processing and Editing

The reported answers to questions ALD030 and ALD040 have been edited for consistency with answers to preceding questions. If any respondent reported a greater number of days for ALD030 (During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink of alcohol?) than for ALD020 (During your life, on how many days have you had at least one drink of alcohol?), ALD030 was set to the largest value consistent with the answer to ALD020. Similar if any respondent reported a greater number of days for ALD040 (During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row, that is, within a couple of hours?) than for either ALD020 or ALD030, ALD040 was set to the largest value consistent with the answers to ALD020 and ALD030.

Analytic Notes

Alcohol questions for respondents, ages 20+ years are also available.

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 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS

ALQ010 - Age when first drank alcohol

Variable Name:
ALQ010
SAS Label:
Age when first drank alcohol
English Text:
English Text: The following questions ask about alcohol use. This includes beer, wine, wine coolers, and liquor such as rum, gin, vodka, or whiskey. This does not include drinking a few sips of wine for religious purposes. How old were you when you had your first drink of alcohol, other than a few sips?
English Instructions:
VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SP: Please select one of the following choices.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 I have never had a drink of alcohol, other than a few sips 1009 1009 End of SEnd of Section
2 8 years old or younger 105 1114
3 9 or 10 years old 86 1200
4 11 or 12 years old 173 1373
5 13 or 14 years old 326 1699
6 15 or 16 years old 273 1972
7 17 years old or older 137 2109
77 Refused 23 2132
99 Don't know 32 2164
. Missing 150 2314

ALD020 - # days drank alcohol over lifetime

Variable Name:
ALD020
SAS Label:
# days drank alcohol over lifetime
English Text:
During your life, on how many days have you had at least one drink of alcohol?
English Instructions:
VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SP: Please select one of the following choices.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 0 days 135 135 End of SEnd of Section
2 1 or 2 days 328 463
3 3 to 9 days 203 666
4 10 to 19 days 144 810
5 20 to 39 days 126 936
6 40 to 99 days 114 1050
7 100 or more days 90 1140
77 Refused 6 1146
99 Don't know 9 1155
. Missing 1159 2314

ALD030 - # days drank alcohol over past 30 days

Variable Name:
ALD030
SAS Label:
# days drank alcohol over past 30 days
English Text:
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink of alcohol?
English Instructions:
VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SP: Please select one of the following choices.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 0 days 415 415 End of SEnd of Section
2 1 or 2 days 338 753
3 3 to 5 days 108 861
4 6 to 9 days 77 938
5 10 to 19 days 47 985
6 20 to 29 days 22 1007
7 All 30 days 4 1011
77 Refused 4 1015
99 Don't know 5 1020
. Missing 1294 2314

ALD040 - # days w/5 or more drinks/past 30 days

Variable Name:
ALD040
SAS Label:
# days w/5 or more drinks/past 30 days
English Text:
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row, that is, within a couple of hours?
English Instructions:
VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SP: Please select one of the following choices.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 0 days 275 275
2 1 day 109 384
3 2 days 81 465
4 3 to 5 days 73 538
5 6 to 9 days 36 574
6 10 to 19 days 15 589
7 20 or more days 9 598
77 Refused 4 602
99 Don't know 3 605
. Missing 1709 2314