The National Survey on Drug Use
and Health (NSDUH) series (formerly titled National Household Survey
on Drug Abuse) strives to (1) provide accurate data on the level and
patterns of licit and illicit drug use; (2) track trends in the use of
alcohol, tobacco, and various types of drugs; (3) assess the
consequences of drug use and abuse; and (4) identify groups with a
high risk for drug abuse. Thus, the series allows for the assessment
and monitoring of the nature of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use and the
consequences of that abuse. (more)
NSDUH public-use data files are available for:
download in SAS, SPSS, STATA and ASCII formats; and
online analysis with SDA (?);
NSDUH restricted-use data files are available for:
The population of the NSDUH series is the
general civilian population aged 12 and older in the United
States. Questions include age at first use, as well as lifetime,
annual, and past-month usage for the following drugs: alcohol,
marijuana, cocaine (including crack), hallucinogens, heroin,
inhalants, tobacco, pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and
sedatives. The survey covers substance abuse treatment history and
perceived need for treatment, and includes questions from the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders that allow
diagnostic criteria to be applied. Respondents were also asked about
personal and family income sources and amounts, health care access and
coverage, illegal activities and arrest record, problems resulting
from the use of drugs, perceptions of risks, and
needle-sharing. Demographic data include gender, race, age, ethnicity,
educational level, job status, income level, veteran status, household
composition, and population density.
The questionnaire was
significantly redesigned in 1994. The 1994 survey for the first time
included a rural population supplement to allow separate estimates to
be calculated for this population. Other modules have been added each
year and retained in subsequent years: mental health and access to
care (1994-B); risk/availability of drugs (1996); cigar smoking and
new questions on marijuana and cocaine use (1997); question series
asked only of respondents aged 12 to 17 (1997); questions on tobacco
brand (1999); marijuana purchase questions (2001); prior marijuana and
cigarette use, additional questions on drug treatment, adult mental
health services, and social environment (2003); and adult and
adolescent depression questions derived from the National Comorbidity
Survey, Replication (NCS-R) and National Comorbidity Survey,
Adolescent (NCS-A) (2004).
Survey administration and sample
design were improved with the implementation of the 1999 survey, and
additional improvements were made in 2002. Since 1999, the survey
sample has employed a 50-state design with an independent, multistage
area probability sample for each of the 50 states and the District of
Columbia. At this time, the collection mode of the survey changed from
personal interviews and self-enumerated answer sheets to using
computer-assisted personal interviews and audio computer-assisted self
interviews. In 2002, the survey's title was officially changed to the
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Participants have been
given $30 for participating in the study since then. This has resulted
in an increase in participation rates from the years prior to
2002. Also, since 2002 the new population data from the 2000 decennial
census has been used for sample weighting procedures. For these
reasons, data gathered for 2002 and beyond cannot validly be compared
to data prior to 2002.
The NSDUH is
sponsored by the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (formerly Office of Applied Studies), Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration. For more information, visit the NSDUH Web site.
Variable crosswalks display all variables in the series and their availability by study year.
