Estimated alcohol consumption in the 1995 National Health Survey: Some methodological issues

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This paper critically examines the methodology used to ascertain alcohol consumption in the 1995 Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey (NHS). METHOD: The 1995 NHS was the second in a series of regular, five-yearly population surveys designed to obtain national benchmark information on a range of health-related issues and enable the monitoring of trends over time. The first survey was conducted in 1989-90. In the 1995 NHS, respondents were asked about the quantity of each of seven types of alcohol consumed on up to three days of the week before the interview day. In the 1989-90 NHS, however, respondents were asked about alcohol consumption on each of the seven days..