Alcohol misuse has been linked to numerous social, economic, and health problems. Estimates vary but have suggested that up to 40% of patients have experienced complications of alcohol misuse. In the United States, 138.3 million people age 12 and older, surveyed, report that they actively use alcohol, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Of those, 48.2% report that they had binge drinking episode(s) within 30 days before taking the survey. Of those who reported binge drinking, 26% reported heavy alcohol use, defined as binge drinking five or more days in the previous 30 days, which accounts for 12.5% of total alcohol users. This means that 5.9%, or 15.7 million people in the United States aged 12 and older, meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder (see image for criteria). More than 85,000 deaths per year can be attributed to alcohol.
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