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Measuring Alcohol Consumption
Abstract
This article is an overview of different approaches to measuring alcohol consumption: self-reports and objective measures such as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and aggregate level measures. These approaches are evaluated as regards their ability to capture quantity, frequency, volume and variability of drinking. This review focuses on self-report measures and on the current knowledge of undercoverage error when compared with sales data. In the comparative evaluation of measures, two analytical aims are examined: a) description and testing of differences across groups for which ordinal information is sufficient and b) establishment of cutoff points and risk relationships for which unbiased interval scale level is required. First, minimal differences were found between self-report measures when the recall period was sufficiently long enough. Second, prospective diaries appear to be stronger measures than retrospective recalls. However, prospective diaries commonly cover only short reporting periods and should be combined with simple retrospective measures to capture rare and infrequent drinking episodes. In regard to undercoverage, the discrepancy cannot be fully explained by non-response or concealment of consumption by drinkers. It is argued that undercoverage of sales data may be more related to sample frame defects–-e.g., the non-inclusion of particular subpopulations such as the homeless or institutionalized.
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“The diversity of alcohol consumption outcomes measures is due in part to varying recall, reference period, and definition of a “standard drink” [97–99].”
From Patient-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-summary (2022) · cites this paper as [99]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Gmel, G., & Rehm, J.
- Affiliations
- Addiction Switzerland (CH)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Venue
- Contemporary Drug Problems
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-09
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 467-540
- ISSN
- 0091-4509 (ISSN-L)
- 2163-1808
- OpenAlex
- W268934328
- Cited by
- 466
- References
- 135
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 17.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Contemporary Drug Problems (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Keywords
- alcohol consumption measurement, self-report measures, blood alcohol concentration, sales data, retrospective recall, drinking frequency, drinking quantity
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