Altered states: Wide variation in substance abuse patterns
There are wide variations among the states in problems such as illicit drug use and underage drinking, but no state was immune from those problems. That's the finding of a new report from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Officials say past-month use of alcohol among people aged 12 to 20 (underage alcohol use) ranged from a low of 21.5% in Utah to a high of 38.3% in Vermont. But Utah had the highest level of people age 18 or older reporting serious psychological distress in the past year (14.4%), while Hawaii had the lowest level (8.8%).
"This report shows that although states may be uniquely affected by serious public health problems like underage drinking, every state and region must confront these issues," said SAMHSA administrator Terry Cline, PhD. "By highlighting the nature and scope of the challenges affecting each state, we can help focus and target substance abuse and mental illness prevention and treatment resources."
Based on national surveys
The report is based on the 2005-2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health and provides state-level estimates for 23 measures of substance use and mental health problems, including underage drinking, use of illicit drugs, serious psychological distress, major depression, and tobacco use. The estimates are based on combined data collected from 136,110 respondents surveyed in 2005 and 2006 (the most recent data available). The report also shows statistically significant changes that occurred within each state between 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.
Georgia had the lowest level of past-month underage binge drinking of alcohol at 15.2%, while North Dakota had the highest level (28.5%). Increases in underage drinking levels between the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 surveys occurred in Arkansas (from 25.2% to 28.7%), Nevada (from 25.1% to 27.9%), and Vermont (from 34% to 38.3%). Arkansas and Vermont also experienced increases in underage binge alcohol use during the same period, with Arkansas going to 17% to 19.4% and Vermont from 24.5% to 28%.
Big changes in underage drinking
South Dakota's and Wisconsin's levels for underage drinking decreased from 38.3% to 34.1% and from 39.5% to 35.4%, respectively. Those two states also experienced declines in the level of underage binge drinking, with South Dakota dropping from 27% to 23.7% and Wisconsin going from 28.1% to 25.1%.
Past-month use of illicit drugs for all persons ages 12 and older ranged from a low of 5.7% in North Dakota to a high of 11.2% in Rhode Island. The percentage of persons ages 12 and older who used an illicit drug in the past month increased in the period from 2004-2005 to 2005-2006 in Washington state from 8.5% to 10%. The level decreased in Kentucky during that period from 8.4% to 7%.
SAMHSA reported Utah had the lowest level of past-month marijuana use among people age 12 or older (4.3%), while Vermont had the highest level (9.7%).
In 2005-2006, Oklahoma had the highest percentage (6.7%) of people age 12 or older using pain relievers for nonmedical purposes in the past year. Hawaii, New Jersey, and South Dakota had the nation's lowest rate at 3.9%.
In terms of tobacco use, Utah had the lowest prevalence level for past month tobacco use among people ages 12 and older at 22.1%. West Virginia had the highest level for this age group at 40.6%. Two states showed increases in past-month tobacco use among persons age 12 or older between the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 surveysCalifornia's rate rose from 21.2% to 22.6% and Oklahoma's level went from 33.7% to 36.9%.
A substantive problem
The percentage of people with a substance abuse disorder, including either drug or alcohol dependence or abuse, ranged from a low of 7.5% in New Jersey to a high of 12.3% in the District of Columbia. The highest rate of illicit drug dependence or abuse was 4.3% in the District of Columbia, while the lowest was 2.1% in Iowa. Kentucky had the lowest rate of alcohol dependence of abuse (3.6%), while Montana had the highest rate (10.8%).
Finally, SAMHSA reported that Hawaii had the lowest level of people age 18 or older reporting at least one major depressive episode in the past year (5%), while Nevada had the highest rate (9.4%).
Download the full report at http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k6State/toc.cfm or call the agency's Health Information Network at (877) SAMHSA-7 and ask for inventory # SMA 08-4311.
There are wide variations among the states in problems such as illicit drug use and underage drinking, but no state was immune from those problems. That's the finding of a new report from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content