Recently released data by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute provides insights into excessive drinking rates across the U.S. The 2023 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps report, which aims to highlight factors that can impact health outcomes and disparities nationwide, includes self-reported data on alcohol use from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance system.
Excessive drinking, as defined in the report, includes both binge drinking and heavy drinking. Although Wisconsin emerged as the state with the highest rate of excessive drinking, with 26% of adults self-reporting such behavior, other states were also evaluated.
In California, the study found that 18% of adults self-reported excessive drinking. However, a closer examination of the data reveals variation within the state. The highest concentration of excessive drinkers was found in the northeastern counties, with Sierra and Amador counties topping the list at 24%.
Southern Californian counties also reported significant rates, with Santa Barbara, Riverside, and San Diego counties coming in at 21%. Ventura and San Bernardino counties reported a rate of 19%, while Los Angeles and Kern County had rates of 18%.
Intriguingly, despite its relatively low rate of excessive drinking, California reported the highest number of alcohol-impaired driving deaths between 2016 and 2020, with a total of 5,185 fatalities.
This data underscores the importance of understanding patterns of alcohol consumption, not just at the state level, but also at the county level. Such information can be crucial for implementing effective health policies and interventions aimed at curbing excessive alcohol use and preventing alcohol-related incidents.