PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Alcohol Consumption - Binge Drinking

Why Is This Important?

'''''Binge drinking''''' is the most common pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States and those who binge drink tend to do so frequently and with high intensity.^1^ According to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol use is responsible for '''140,557 deaths in the United States''' each year, including 6 in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20-64 years.^2^ Estimates also suggest that 903 Utahns die from alcohol-attributable causes each year^3^ and Utah is ranked seventh in the nation for alcohol poisoning deaths.^4^ Excessive alcohol use is also associated with many health and social harms, including liver cirrhosis, certain cancers, unintentional injuries, violence and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Excessive drinking cost the United States $249 billion in 2010, which calculates to $2.05 per drink.^1^ In 2019, the cost of excessive alcohol use in Utah was estimated to be $1.34 billion.^5^ '''SOURCES''' # Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). ''Fact Sheets - Binge Drinking''. Retrieved from [https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm CDC] # Alcohol and Public Health: Alcohol-Related Disease Impact. (2021). ''Average for the United States 2015-2019 Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Due to Excessive Alcohol Use''. Retrieved from [https://nccd.cdc.gov/DPH_ARDI] # Alcohol and Public Health: Alcohol-Related Disease Impact. (2021). ''Average for Utah 2015-2019 Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Due to Excessive Alcohol Use''. Retrieved from [https://nccd.cdc.gov/DPH_ARDI] # CDC Vital Signs. (2015). ''Alcohol Poisoning Deaths Infographic''. Retrieved from [https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/alcohol-poisoning-deaths/infographic.html CDC] # Alcohol Abuse Tracking Committee, Utah Department of Public Safety. (2019). ''Alcohol Abuse Tracking Committee 2019 Report''. Retrieved from [https://dsamh-training.utah.gov/_documents/legislativereports/2021aatcreportfinal.pdf Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health: DSAMH]

Data Notes

Items to note regarding the data: * U.S. data are the average value for all states and the District of Columbia; they do not include U.S. territories. * The rates shown in the data table and on the line graph are crude rates, not age-adjusted, given that the Healthy People 2020 Objective is based on crude rates. [[br]]

Risk Factors

People experiencing poor mental health are more likely to drink excessively.

How Are We Doing?

In 2022, it was estimated that '''12.8%''' (crude rate) of Utah adults binge drank at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey. Utah is '''well below the Healthy People 2020 objective of 24.4%''' for this measure.

What Is Being Done?

The [https://sumh.utah.gov/ Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (DSAMH)] is the agency responsible for ensuring that substance abuse and mental health prevention and treatment services are available statewide. The Office also acts as a resource by providing general information, research, and statistics to the public regarding substances of abuse and mental health services.