Alcohol Consumption in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05


This article provides an overview of the level, prevalence and type of alcohol consumption; the health status, risk factors and demographic characteristics of those who drink alcohol at risky or high risk levels; as well as information on mortality and health costs.

This article uses data from the 2004-05 National Health Survey (NHS), the 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) and the Causes of Death Collection.

This article also draws on measures of alcohol consumption from the Apparent Consumption of Alcohol Collection, which uses excise and import trade administrative data to produce an indirect measure of consumption of alcohol, based on a population aged 15 years or more (ABS 2006a).

Data from the 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) are also used in this article (AIHW 2005a).

Both short and long term risk of harm were measured in the 2004-05 NHS (footnote 1). Unless otherwise stated, this article presents NHS information on alcohol consumption for long term risk of harm. Survey respondents were categorised as drinking alcohol at low, risky or high risk levels based on the guidelines of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (footnote 2).

Data were collected in the 2004-05 NHS from those aged 18 years and over, and from those aged 14 and over (with a small sample from 12-13 year olds) in the 2004 NDSHS.

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