Prevalence and Correlates of Alcohol Use in the Military

Presentation #1 for Session "Development and Effectiveness of A Web-Based Alcohol Intervention in the Military" Abstract #162331 Moderator: Michael Pemberton (pemberton@rti.org)

Alcohol misuse in the military has been associated with a variety of negative outcomes including serious consequences (e.g., legal, family, interpersonal, financial problems), loss of work productivity, and dependence symptoms. Results from the series of Department of Defense Surveys of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel have consistently shown that military personnel engage in heavy alcohol use at rates higher than demographically similar civilians (Bray et al, 2006). Furthermore, following a steady decline in heavy alcohol use between 1982 and 1998, the rate of heavy drinking among military personnel increased between 1998 and 2002, and maintained this increased level in 2005. This speaker will summarize the past literature on alcohol use in the military, including a focus on specific populations at increased risk of heavy alcohol use. This speaker will also discuss the rationale behind the development of a Web-based approach to reducing heavy alcohol use in the military.