Alcohol misuse: Drinking in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that could cause harm to the person who drinks or to those around them. For individuals younger than the U.S. Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21, or for pregnant females, any alcohol use constitutes alcohol misuse. Alcohol use disorder (AUD): AUD is a chronic, relapsing brain disorder characterized by an...

NIAAA will continue to support epidemiological research to identify and track patterns of alcohol use and misuse, drinking-related outcomes and disparities, and individual and environmental variables that confer risk or resilience.

The Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research (DEPR) promotes and supports applied, translational, and methodological research on the epidemiology and prevention of hazardous alcohol consumption and related behaviors, alcohol use disorder, alcohol-related mortality and morbidity, and other alcohol-related problems and consequences. DEPR advances its mission by: identifying scientific opportunities and gaps in current knowledge; setting research priorities; stimulating and supporting...

Prevalence of Lifetime Drinking People Ages 12 and Older According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 224.3 million people ages 12 and older (79.1% in this age group) reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime. 1,2 This includes: 111.1 million males ages 12 and older (80.1% in this age group) 1,2...

You may have seen different terms that describe different patterns of alcohol consumption. These terms are useful in research and in helping people evaluate and make informed decisions about their own drinking patterns. For example, alcohol misuse, which includes binge drinking and heavy alcohol use, over time increases the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD). It is important to note...

NIAAA’s ability to pursue its research priorities is supported by the commitment to building and sustaining a robust research capacity. At the core of NIAAA’s efforts to build research capacity are cultivating a talented scientific and administrative workforce to advance research to the next frontier and maximizing NIAAA research resources and infrastructure to promote discovery. Objective 1: Enhancing and Sustaining...

While funding innovative research is essential to achieving the NIAAA mission, NIAAA recognizes the importance of building a robust research capacity and serving as a responsible steward of public resources. This section is integral to the success of the Research Goals, Cross-Cutting Research Themes, and Cross-Cutting Research Programs sections of this strategic plan.

This strategic plan includes four major goals, which cover the depth and breadth of research necessary to improve the understanding of and to address the effects of alcohol misuse on individuals and society. These goals complement the Cross-Cutting Research Themes, Cross-Cutting Research Programs, and Supporting the Mission sections of this strategic plan.

Prevalencia del consumo de alcohol durante toda la vida Personas de 12 años y más Según la Encuesta Nacional sobre la Salud y el Consumo de Drogas (NSDUH, por su sigla en inglés) de 2023, un total de 224.3 millones de personas de 12 años y más (el 79.1% en este grupo de edad) informaron que consumieron alcohol en algún...

La adicción al alcohol es un trastorno crónico recurrente asociado con el consumo compulsivo de alcohol, la pérdida del control sobre la ingesta y la aparición de un estado emocional negativo cuando el alcohol ya no está disponible. El trastorno por consumo de alcohol (AUD, por su sigla en inglés) es una afección caracterizada por la capacidad deteriorada para detener...

El periodo después de graduarse de la secundaria es un tiempo de transición. Muchos adultos jóvenes tienen mayor libertad e independencia y asumen más responsabilidades al entrar en el siguiente capítulo de sus vidas. Durante este tiempo, los adultos jóvenes pueden ser más vulnerables al consumo indebido de alcohol y a los trastornos por consumo de alcohol. Los profesionales de...

The period after high school is a transitional time. Many young adults have greater freedom and independence, and they take on more responsibility as they enter the next chapter of their lives. During this time, young adults may have an increased vulnerability for alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorder. Healthcare professionals play an important role in addressing alcohol misuse in...

Alcohol addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive alcohol drinking, the loss of control over intake, and the emergence of a negative emotional state when alcohol is no longer available. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. It is a...

De las 96,610 muertes por enfermedad del hígado entre personas de 12 años y más en 2023, el 44.5% (es decir 43,004 muertes) involucró al alcohol. Entre los hombres, ocurrieron 58,846 muertes por enfermedad del hígado, con el 47.0% (es decir 27,684 muertes) involucró al alcohol. Entre las mujeres, ocurrieron 37,764 muertes por enfermedad del hígado, con el 40.6% (es...

Alcohol’s harmful effects on multiple organs and body systems contribute to more than 200 health conditions and more than 178,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, making alcohol one of the leading causes of preventable death. More than half of the deaths result from chronic heavy alcohol consumption while the remainder result from acute injuries sustained while intoxicated.

Combining alcohol with certain medications, particularly those with sedative effects, can increase the risk of adverse events, including falls, driving accidents, and fatal overdoses.

Series Editor: Margaret E. Mattson, Ph.D. It has been more than a decade since the eighth volume of the Project MATCH Monograph Series was published. The initial purpose of this series of manuals was to disseminate methodology developed by the investigators of the multisite clinical trial Project MATCH (1990–1997), an initiative funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and...

What is the Core Resource on Alcohol? The Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol consists of 14 interconnected articles covering the basics of what every healthcare professional needs to know about alcohol. The “Core” was developed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a part of the National Institutes of Health. NIAAA is the lead federal agency...

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) uses social media outlets to share health information, the latest science discoveries, funding and training opportunities, events, and initiatives with various audiences. NIAAA’s goal is to improve outreach in support of its mission: to generate and disseminate fundamental knowledge about the effects of alcohol on health and well-being, and apply that...