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Show ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE There are several surveys available that measure alcohol and tobacco use in Utah. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey measures self-reported drinking prevalence, binge drinking, drinking and driving, and smoking. For a discussion of BRFSS methodology, see page 48. The Utah Division of Substance Abuse uses a survey conducted by Dan Jones. This survey is conducted on a representative sample by face-to-face interviews with assured confidentiality. National data are collected using similar methodologies. However, national and Utah data are not collected for the same years. This limits the extent to which year-to-year comparisons can be made between Utah and the nation. The main findings of the BRFSS are reported first in this section, followed by the main findings of the 1993 Utah Household Survey on Substance Abuse conducted for the Utah Division of Substance Abuse. Because the BRFSS and the Utah Division of Substance Abuse Survey use different methodologies, their findings differ slightly. DRINKING PREVALENCE (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey) Drinking prevalence does not necessarily indicate an increased health risk, but it is included in this survey to show how Utah compares to other states in reported drinking by those age 18 and over. In 1992, only one other state, Tennessee, had a lower percentage of persons who reported having consumed alcoholic beverages during the previous month. Utah ranks well below the U.S. median (Table 74, Figure 48). Serious health problems are not usually associated with occasional drinking. Driving after drinking and binge drinking are more apt to affect health adversely, and these reports follow. Figure 48 Drinking Prevalence Percentage of persons who have had alcoholic beverages during the past month. Table 74 U.S. Year Utah U.S. Low Median U.S. High 1989 31.1 30.3 53.2 69.9 1990 30.0 29.9 51.3 69.4 1991 27.4 25.5 51.2 68.3 1992 28.7 26.1 50.5 69.9 70 C 1 60- >----------------,____ Drinking Prevalence ----------?-------------------------?----_ --------? o 50-<n & 40-S 30* {........-------- -------------------ft---------------^ , . __,, ----------O Percentag i- tO i i 1 1 1989 1990 1991 1992 ----A--- U.S. Low------O------U.S. Median ------D------- U.S. High u Utah Utah's Health: An Annual Review 1994 51 |