National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

This article was first published in NIAAA Spectrum Volume 14, Issue 3. Suicide deaths involving heavy alcohol use have increased significantly among women in recent years, according to a new study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Previous research has shown that alcohol is a risk factor for suicidal behavior and that women have a...

The size of the older adult population is increasing rapidly. Alcohol use among older adults is also increasing . Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicate that approximately 20 percent of adults aged 60-64 and around 10 percent over age 65 report current binge drinking. Older adults can experience a variety of problems from drinking alcohol...

La mezcla de alcohol con ciertos medicamentos podría provocar náuseas, vómitos, dolor de cabeza, letargo, desmayos o pérdida de la coordinación. También podría ponerlo en riesgo de sufrir hemorragias internas, problemas del corazón y dificultades respiratorias. Además de estos peligros, el alcohol puede disminuir la acción terapéutica del medicamento e, inclusive, hasta anularla por completo y convertirlo, así, en algo dañino o tóxico para el cuerpo.

The first 6 weeks of freshman year are a vulnerable time for harmful and underage college drinking and alcohol-related consequences because of student expectations and social pressures at the start of the academic year. Research shows that students who abstain from drinking often do so because their parents discussed alcohol use and its adverse consequences with them.

The consequences of college drinking are larger and more destructive than commonly realized, according to a new study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Commissioned by the NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking, the study reveals that drinking by college students age 18-24 contributes to an estimated 1,400 student deaths, 500,000 injuries, and 70,000 cases...

Alcohol-related deaths among individuals ages 16 and older, which increased during the first year of the pandemic, continued to increase during the second year of the pandemic, according to new analyses of 2021 mortality data by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) researchers. 1 In a previous study, they reported that alcohol-related death numbers soared 25.5% between 2019...

George F. Koob, Ph.D., is an internationally-recognized expert on alcohol and stress, and the neurobiology of alcohol and drug addiction. He is the Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), where he provides leadership in the national effort to reduce the public health burden associated with alcohol misuse. As NIAAA Director, Dr. Koob oversees a broad...

Knowing which patient groups are at greater risk for alcohol-related harm can reinforce your efforts to conduct careful screening, assessment, advising, and referral. Risks for alcohol-related harm vary by a wide range of factors, including your patient’s age, gender, sexual minority status, genes, mental health, and exposure to trauma or other stressors.

The Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), a project of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), has expanded its resources for assisting studies on the effects of alcohol-related policies adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. APIS is an online resource that provides detailed information on a variety of alcohol-related policies in the United States at both state...

As a tribute to Dr. Jack Mendelson's remarkable contributions to the field of clinical alcohol research, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism established this honorary lecture series. Each year, the series features a lecture by an outstanding alcohol investigator whose clinical research makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of: Susceptibility to alcohol use disorder Alcohol's effects on...

On September 9th each year, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recognizes International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day as a reminder that that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. FASD refers to the wide range of physical, behavioral, and cognitive impairments that occur due to alcohol exposure before birth (also known...

Kendal Bryant, Ph.D. September 07, 2023 Purpose The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) supports a broad-based Alcohol Research Centers program to foster and conduct interdisciplinary, collaborative research on the effects of varied patterns of alcohol use and associated alcohol use disorders and the broad impact of alcohol on health and disease at the individual, group, and societal...

Grace Chang, MD, MPH, is Professor and Head of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School /VA Boston Healthcare. She is the Director of the Chief of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry service. A graduate of Yale College and Rutgers Medical School, she received her training in General Adult Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine where she was subsequently a Robert Wood...

Structure of the Strategic Plan The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2024–2028 describes research goals, themes, and programs that support the NIAAA mission. These goals also support the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility: Fiscal Years 2023–2027, as well as complement other National Institutes of Health (NIH) strategic plans and...

Underage drinking is a significant public health problem in the United States. As part of its efforts to raise awareness of and combat underage drinking, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has launched NIAAA for Middle School and NIAAA for Teens. “Early initiation of alcohol consumption increases the risk of a wide range of harmful consequences during...

Enhancing the understanding of whole person health and facilitating integrated care to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has released Advancing Alcohol Research to Promote Health and Well-Being, the Institute’s Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2024-2028. The plan charts a course for the next five years and outlines the goals and priorities that will guide NIAAA’s research through a dynamic balance of basic, translational, and clinical research relevant to...

This article was first published in NIAAA Spectrum Volume 16, Issue 1. Alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) can be an effective method for identifying persons either at risk for or with alcohol-related problems and for connecting them to treatment. Recent data suggest, however, that while screening for alcohol misuse is common in primary care and other...

Appendix A. Differences Among Survey Data Sources Item NHSDA/NSDUH MTF YRBS Sample Characteristics Survey population Civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 12 and older, including residents of households and noninstitutional group quarters, and civilians living on military installations 8th, 10th, 12th graders enrolled in school 9th through 12th graders enrolled in school Sample size (2019) 67,625 youth and adults 18,766 12- to...

Appendix A. Differences Among Survey Data Sources Item NHSDA/NSDUH MTF YRBS Sample Characteristics Survey population Civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 12 and older, including residents of households and noninstitutional group quarters, and civilians living on military installations 8th, 10th, 12th graders enrolled in school 9th through 12th graders enrolled in school Sample size (2019) 67,625 youth and adults 18,766 12- to...