Drinking and Deviant Drinking, U. S. A., 1963

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Abstract
To determine the relative frequency of drinkers, ex-drinkers and deviant drinkers in various social segments of the U. S. population, 1,515 respondents, chosen by modified random sampling procedures to represent the total noninstitutional population of the nation aged 21 and over, were interviewed with the assistance of the National Opinion Research Center. Approximately 200 interviewers using a structured questionnaire conducted the field work during the summer of 1963. Checks against Census data showed that the better educated may be overrepresented to an extent that would inflate the over-all prevalence of drinkers by a maximum of 3 percentage points; however, this may be partly due to respondent exaggeration of educational attainment. Over-all, 71% of the sample reported themselves as drinkers, indicating that an estimated 80 million American adults drink. The variation in rates of drinkers by geographic regions, sex, age, education, residence, religion, income, occupation and marital status was consistent with the findings of previous national and state surveys. The highest rates were found in the Northeastern section of the country, among men, the younger age group, the better educated, cities, Jews, Catholics, and Lutherans, the higher income and upper occupational-status groups, and the unmarried. All social segments also contained ex-drinkers. Over-all, 8% of the sample were ex-drinkers, but the rate varied from a low of 2% to a high of 17% and, perhaps, as high as 26% although the latter value (in the Mountain region) was based on only 31 interviews. Of the drinkers, 11% reported themselves as heavy drinkers and 10% had experienced trouble due to drinking. There was about a 25% overlap of these 2 indicators of deviant drinking. Comparisons of the prevalence of drinkers found in the present sample with those of earlier studies revealed the present prevalence rate to be slightly higher, not only in the total population but in each of several sex, age and educational categories. Without exception, however, all the studies revealed similar age, sex and educational differences between rates of drinkers. While trend indications were not strong, the evidence suggested that the rate of drinkers is increasing. It is concluded that: individual drinking patterns, including deviant drinking, are socially determined; some subpopulations are especially successful in discouraging individuals from drinking and in motivating those who try the practice to quit; there is need for more explanatory studies using intervening attitudinal measures.

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