Overall, 12-month alcohol use rose by 11.2%, high-risk drinking by 29.9% and DSM-IV alcohol use disorder by 49.4% for the total United States population.
The study found the most substantial increases among women, older adults, racial and ethnic minorities and individuals with lower levels of education and income. But what's even more concerning is that "high-risk drinking" increased by nearly 30%, meaning more people were finding themselves having four or five - or more - drinks per day at least once a week. According to the study, high-risk drinking increased in women by 60%, and only 15% for men.
The study, sponsored by a federal agency for alcohol research, examined how drinking patterns changed between 2002 and 2013, based on in-person surveys of tens of thousands of USA adults.
The results showed that there is a significant rise in alcohol use over the last few years in three categories - last 12 month drinking, high risk drinking and AUDs.
The study noted that the increase in high-risk and problem drinking among older adults is "unprecedented".
Researchers believe stress may be the key cause of the alarming rise in drinking levels. The authors stressed that light or moderate drinking doesn't seem to cause alcohol use disorder (dependence) rates to increase almost as much as heavy drinking does.
There's no single explanation for the increase.
Pervasive marketing by the alcohol industry and new products, such as flavored vodkas or hard lemonade and iced tea, also might be driving some of the increases among women and other demographics, Jernigan said.
The numbers are even more grim for certain groups. The total includes drunk-driving deaths and alcohol-linked violence, as well as liver disease, strokes and other medical conditions.
The estimated cost of excess alcohol consumption is nearly $250 billion per year in the U.S. The costs show up in higher health care needs, lost productivity and prosecuting alcohol-fueled crimes from drunk driving to homicide. Yet, there is no national strategy in the USA that matches recent, high-profile efforts to combat opioids, smoking, or illegal drugs. Conduct was considered high probability if people outclassed the governments for alcohol consumption.
More medical screening also could identify people with risky drinking habits.
High-risk drinking, in this study, referred to women drinking four or more drinks in a day, or men drinking five or more drinks in a day, on a weekly basis.
And then there's problem drinking.
And among older adults, abuse and dependence more than doubled. "We haven't done the job for alcohol that we've done with depression".