Table of Contents

Component Description

The Alcohol Use Questionnaire (variable name prefix ALQ) focuses on lifetime and recent use (past 30 days). Questions are not specific to type of alcohol used.

Eligible Sample

Participants aged 12 years and older were eligible. No proxies or interpreters were used when ALQ questions were administered to participants aged 12 to 17 years. Therefore, for this age group, mentally impaired individuals or participants who were unable to understand English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, or Chinese (traditional/Mandarin, simplified/Mandarin, or traditional/Cantonese) were excluded from these questions.

Only data from participants aged 12-17 years are included in this file with limited access. Data from adults 18 years and older are publicly released in a separate file, ALQ_J.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

Questions were self-administered using the Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) system. The ACASI was conducted in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, or Chinese (traditional/Mandarin, simplified/Mandarin, and traditional/Cantonese). The ACASI enables respondents to hear questions through earphones as well as read questions on the computer screen. Respondents move at their own speed and touch the screen to indicate their response.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The ACASI system is programmed with built-in consistency checks to reduce data entry errors. All data was reviewed by the NHANES staff for accuracy and completeness. For details on the QA/QC process for this component, please refer to the MEC Interviewer Procedures manual on the NHANES website.

Data Processing and Editing

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

Analytic Notes

ALQ data were collected in the MEC; therefore, exam sample weights should be used for the analyses. 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.

Information on alcohol use is collected from all participants aged 12 years and older. Only data from participants aged 12-17 are included in this file with limited access. Data from participants aged 18 years and older is publicly released as ALQ_J and available on the NHANES website.

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 - 17 YEARS

ALQ010 - Age when first drank alcohol

Variable Name:
ALQ010
SAS Label:
Age when first drank alcohol
English Text:
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 - 17 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 638 638 End of Section
2 8 years old or younger 10 648
3 9 or 10 years old 13 661
4 11 or 12 years old 17 678
5 13 or 14 years old 45 723
6 15 or 16 years old 74 797
7 17 years old or older 19 816
77 Refused 3 819
99 Don't know 2 821
. Missing 47 868

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 - 17 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
2 1 or 2 days 87 87
3 3 to 9 days 53 140
4 10 to 19 days 19 159
5 20 to 39 days 9 168
6 40 to 99 days 5 173
7 100 or more days 4 177
77 Refused 4 181
99 Don't know 2 183
. Missing 685 868

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 - 17 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 0 days 115 115 End of Section
2 1 or 2 days 55 170
3 3 to 5 days 9 179
4 6 to 9 days 1 180
5 10 to 19 days 2 182
6 20 to 29 days 0 182
7 All 30 days 0 182
77 Refused 1 183
99 Don't know 0 183
. Missing 685 868

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 {'4' Female, '5' Male - DISPLAY NUMBER} or more drinks of alcohol in a row, that is, within a couple of hours?
English Instructions:
INSTRUCTIONS TO SP: Please select one of the following choices. CAPI INSTRUCTION: IF SP = MALE, DISPLAY = 5 IF SP = FEMALE, DISPLAY = 4.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 17 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 0 days 46 46
2 1 day 13 59
3 2 days 5 64
4 3 to 5 days 4 68
5 6 to 9 days 0 68
6 10 to 19 days 0 68
7 20 or more days 0 68
77 Refused 0 68
99 Don't know 0 68
. Missing 800 868