NCJ Number
153972
Date Published
1992
Length
460 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of a 1992 survey that received responses from 16,395 military personnel representing all active-duty military personnel except recruits, service academy students, persons absent without leave, and persons who had a permanent change of station at the time of data collection.
Abstract
Like four previous surveys, the survey examined the prevalence of the use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and tobacco and the consequences of alcohol and other drug use. Health risks, knowledge and beliefs about AIDS transmission, nutrition, gambling, the effects of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm on drug abuse, the medical costs of heavy cigarette smoking and heavy drinking, and comparisons with civilian data were also included. Results revealed a decline in illicit drug use from 27.6 percent in 1980 to 3.4 percent in 1992; changes in sociodemographic composition did not explain this decline. Heavy alcohol use declined from 20.8 percent in 1980 to 15.2 percent in 1992, largely due to changes in the sociodemographic composition of the military. Negative effects due to alcohol and other drug use have declined significantly among military personnel since 1980. Other findings indicated that the military has already made considerable progress toward achieving selected Healthy People 2000 objectives related to health promotion and disease risk reduction. Figures, tables, and appended methodological information and instrument