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Home » 2020 Topics & Objectives » Substance Abuse » SA-13.3 Data Details

SA-13.3 Data Details

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SA-13.3 Reduce the proportion of adults reporting use of any illicit drug during the past 30 days

About the Data

Description of the data source, numerator, denominator, survey questions, and other relevant details about the national estimate.

Data Source: 
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Changed Since the Healthy People 2020 Launch: 
Yes
Measure: 
percent
Baseline (Year): 
10.2 (2015)
Target: 
9.2
Target-Setting Method: 
10 percent improvement
Numerator: 

Number of persons aged 18 years and over who report use of any illicit drugs during the past 30 days

Denominator: 

Number of persons aged 18 years and over

Comparable Healthy People 2010 Objective: 
Retained from HP2010 objective
Questions Used to Obtain the National Baseline Data: 

    From the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:

    [NUMERATOR:]

    [The following questions are asked separately for each illicit drug: marijuana or hashish; cocaine; 'crack'; heroin; LSD, also called 'acid'; PCP, also called 'angel dust' or Phencyclidine; Peyote; Mescaline; Psilocybin; 'Ecstasy', also called MDMA; any other hallucinogens besides the ones that have been listed; Amyl nitrite, 'poppers,' locker room odorizers, or 'rush'; Correction fluid, degreaser, or cleaning fluid; Gasoline or lighter fluid; Glue, shoe polish, or toluene; Halothane, ether, or other paint solvents; Lighter gases, such as butane or propane; Nitrous oxide or 'whippets'; Spray paints; or Other aerosol sprays.]

    Have you ever, even once, used [marijuana or hashish]?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    How long has it been since you last used [marijuana or hashish]?

    1. Within the past 30 days -- that is, since [DATE]
    2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
    3. More than 12 months ago

    [The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following: Darvocet, Darvon, or Tylenol with codeine; Percocet, Percodan, or Tylox; Vicodin, Lortab, or Lorcet]

    Have you ever, even once, used [Darvocet, Darvon, or Tylenol with codeine] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Please look at the pain relievers shown below the red line on Card A. [List on Card A: Codeine; Demerol; Dilaudid; Fioricet; Fiorinal; Hydrocodone; Methadone; Morphine; Oxycontin; Phenaphen with Codeine; Propoxyphene; SK-65; Stadol; Talacen; Talwin; Talwin NX; Tramadol; Ultram.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these pain relievers when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Which of the pain relievers shown below the red line on Card A have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    Have you ever, even once, used any other prescription pain reliever, besides the ones shown on Card A, when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    How long has it been since you last used any prescription pain reliever that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
    2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
    3. More than 12 months ago

    [The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following tranquilizers: Klonopin or Clonazepam; Xanax, Alprazolam, Ativan, or Lorazepam; Valium or Diazepam]

    Have you ever, even once, used [Klonopin or Clonazepam] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Please look at the tranquilizers shown below the red line on Card B. [List on Card B: Atarax; BuSpar; Equanil; Flexeril; Librium; Limbitrol; Meprobamate; Miltown; Rohypnol; Serax; Soma; Tranxene; Vistaril.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these tranquilizers when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Which of the tranquilizers shown below the red line on Card B have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    Have you ever, even once, used any other tranquilizers, besides the ones shown on Card B, when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    How long has it been since you last used any prescription tranquilizer that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
    2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
    3. More than 12 months ago

    [The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following stimulants: Methamphetamine, Desoxyn, or Methedrine; prescription diet pills, such as Amphetamines, Benzedrine, Biphetamine, Fastin, or Phentermine; Ritalin or Methylphenidate]

    Have you ever, even once, used [Methamphetamine, Desoxyn, or Methedrine] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Please look at the stimulants shown below the red line on Card C. [List on Card C: Cylert; Dexedrine; Dextroamphetamine; Didrex; Eskatrol; Ionamin; Mazanor; Obedrin - L.A.; Plegine; Preludin; Sanorex; Tenuate.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these stimulants when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Which of the stimulants shown below the red line on Card C have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    Have you ever, even once, used any other prescription stimulant, besides the ones shown on Card C when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    How long has it been since you last used any prescription stimulant that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
    2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
    3. More than 12 months ago

    [The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following prescription sedatives: Methaqualone, Sopor, or Quaalude; barbiturates such as Nembutal, Pentobarbital, Seconal, Secobarbital, or Butalbital; Restoril or Temazepam]

    Have you ever, even once, used [Methaqualone, Sopor, or Quaalude] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Please look at the sedatives shown below the red line on Card D. [List on Card D: Amytal; Butisol; Chloral Hydrate; Dalmane; Halcion; Phenobarbital; Placidyl; Tuinal.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these sedatives when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    Which of the sedatives shown below the red line on Card D have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

    Have you ever, even once, used any other prescription sedative, besides the ones shown on Card D, when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Yes
    2. No

    How long has it been since you last used any prescription sedative that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

    1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
    2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
    3. More than 12 months ago
Data Collection Frequency: 
Annual
Methodology Notes: 

    Illicit drug use is defined as use of at least one of the following substances in the past month: marijuana or hashish, cocaine (including "crack"), inhalants, hallucinogens (including PCP and LSD), heroin, or any nonmedical use of analgesics, tranquilizers, stimulants, or sedatives. Respondents are considered to have used illicit drugs if they report use in the past 30 days of any of the listed substances.

    In 2014 and 2015 changes were made to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) resulting in the need to revise the baselines and targets for 20 HP2020 objectives. In 2014, the changes to NSDUH primarily focused on revising the sample design, such as modifying the distribution of the sample across the 50 states and the District of Columbia and reducing the oversampling of youths and young adults. In 2015, SAMHSA implemented changes to the NSDUH data collection equipment, respondent materials, and survey questionnaire, including revisions to existing measures (e.g., prescription drugs, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and binge alcohol) and the addition of new questions (e.g., sexual orientation and attraction, disability status, and identification of active duty family members).

    The 2014 changes to the sample design are expected to result in more precise national estimates overall as well as more precise estimates for older adults. The 2015 changes are expected to improve the quality of data, and the questionnaire revisions will address SAMHSA's substance use and mental health policy and research needs.

    The following report outlines all of the changes that were made to the NSDUH in 2014 and 2015.
    http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-RedesignChanges-201....

    A description of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has been published by SAMHSA.

Trend Issues: 
Estimates prior to data year 2015 were removed due to a questionnaire redesign of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) beginning in data year 2015, which resulted in a break in trend. Estimates were removed for both national level, and state-level data including the category ‘all reporting states’.

Revision History

Any change to the objective text, baseline, target, target-setting method or data source since the Healthy People 2020 launch.

Description of Changes Since the Healthy People 2020 Launch: 
During regular data collection and processing checks, errors were identified in the NSDUH data. These errors affected the data for Pennsylvania (2006-2010) and Maryland (2008-2009). These errors had minimal impact on the national estimates and no effect on direct estimates for the other 48 states and the District of Columbia. Comparing estimates for Pennsylvania, Maryland, the mid-Atlantic division, and the Northeast region were of most concern. However, the baseline and target values did not change as a result. In 2015, SAMHSA implemented changes to the NSDUH data collection equipment, respondent materials, and survey questionnaire, including revisions to existing measures (e.g., prescription drugs, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and binge alcohol) and the addition of new questions (e.g., sexual orientation and attraction, disability status, and identification of active duty family members). The 2015 changes are expected to improve the quality of data, and the questionnaire revisions will address SAMHSA's substance use and mental health policy and research needs. As a result in 2019, the baseline was again revised from 7.9 to 10.2 percent. The target was also adjusted from 7.1 to 9.2 percent to reflect the revised baseline using the original target-setting method.

References

Additional resources about the objective

  1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H-36, HHS Publication No. SMA 09-4434. Rockville, MD. 2009.
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