Description

For sample adults who have not had a drink in the past 12 months (ALCANYNO is zero or ALCAMT is zero), ALC1YR indicates whether the person had at least 12 drinks of any type of alcoholic beverage in any single year of his or her life.

Beginning in 2020, ALC1YR is collected as part of the rotating core of NHIS alcohol use questions, fielded every other year. For more information about the NHIS alcohol use rotating core, please see ALCDRINKEV.

Starting in 2022, the NHIS survey included more details on how to count the number of drinks:“When counting number of drinks, one drink is equal to a 12-ounce beer, a 5- ounce glass of wine, or one shot or 1.5 ounces of liquor. A larger 40-ounce beer would count as 3 drinks, or a cocktail drink with 2 shots would count as 2 drinks.”

Comparability

Changes in universe or data collection affect comparability between samples. In 1983, 1985, and 1990, this question was asked only of persons who previously indicated that they had at least 12 drinks in their entire lives. In 1988 the universe was further narrowed to persons who had at least 12 drinks in their entire lives but fewer than 12 drinks in the past year. From 1997-2018, the question was asked of all sample adults. Beginning in 2020, this question was asked of sample adults who had not had any alcoholic drinks in the past year.

Questionnaire design changes introduced in 2019 limit comparability with earlier years. The NHIS questionnaire was substantially redesigned in 2019 to introduce a different data collection structure and new content. For more information on changes in terminology, universes, and data collection methods beginning in 2019, please see the user note.

Universe

Availability

• 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1997-2018, 2020, 2022

Weights

• 1985, 1988, 1990, 1997-2018, 2020, 2022 : SAMPWEIGHT
• 1983 : SUPP1WT