National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
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National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
Years Survey Included
Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM)-related Questions
2015-Present
Survey Description
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual nationwide survey that provides national and state-level data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs (including non-medical use of prescription drugs) and mental health in the United States.
The primary objectives of NSDUH are to provide accurate data on the level and patterns of alcohol, tobacco and illegal substance use and abuse, track trends in the use of alcohol, tobacco and various types of drugs, assess the consequences of substance use and abuse and identify those groups at high risk for substance abuse.
The SGM-related questions are included in the Back-End Demographics and Household Roster sections of the survey.
Survey Sample Population
Every year, approximately 70,000 individuals will be randomly selected from all over the United States and asked to participate. NSDUH collects information from residents of households and noninstitutionalized group quarters (e.g., shelters, rooming houses, dormitories) and from civilians living on military bases, ages 12 and older. The survey excludes homeless persons who do not use shelters, military personnel on active duty, and residents of institutional group quarters, such as jails and hospitals. Sexual orientation and identity questions are asked only for respondents ages 18 and older.
Survey Mode
Each year, SAMHSA selects a survey research organization to administer the NSDUH. Then, a professional interviewer personally visits each selected person to administer the interview using a laptop computer.
Most of the survey questions are administered with audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) as to provide the respondent with a highly private and confidential mode for responding about illicit drug use and other sensitive behaviors. Less sensitive items are administered by interviewers using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI).
SGM-Related Survey Questions
Sexual Identity
(QD63) [IF CURNTAGE = 18 OR OLDER]
Which one of the following do you consider yourself to be?
Heterosexual, that is, straight
|
[If R is female then Lesbian or] Gay
|
Bisexual
|
(Don’t Know)
|
(Refused)
|
Question History: This is the only version of the question that has been used. |
Sexual Attraction
(QD62) [IF CURNTAGE = 18 OR OLDER]
People are different in their sexual attraction to other people. Which statement best describes your feelings?
[If R is male]
|
[If R is female]
|
---|---|
I am only attracted to females
|
I am only attracted to males
|
I am mostly attracted to females
|
I am mostly attracted to males
|
I am equally attracted to females and males
|
I am equally attracted to males and females
|
I am not sure
|
I am not sure
|
Don't know
|
Don't know
|
Refused
|
Refused
|
Question History: This is the only version of the question that has been used.
|
Sexual Behavior
Gender Identity
Household Relationships
PERAGEYR [IF QD54 = 2 - 25]
Now I need some additional information about each person who lives here.
PERYRSEX [IF PERAGEYR = 2 - 110]
Is the [PERAGEYR FILL]-year old person male or female?
5 MALE
|
9 FEMALE
|
DK/REF |
PERSEX [IF PERAGEYR = DK/REF]
Is this person a male or a female?
5 MALE
|
9 FEMALE
|
DK/REF |
MRELATON
[IF CHMONSEX OR CHYRSEX OR PERYRSEX OR PERSEX = 5] HAND R SHOWCARD 6.
Please look at this card and tell me which category best describes his relationship to you.
INTERVIEWER NOTE: If it is clear to you that the respondent is talking about/rostering themselves, you may say “Is that you?” If the answer is Yes, enter “1" for “SELF”. Exchange families (exchange students or people who are hosting exchange students) should be considered “other non-relatives.”
|
|
1 SELF
|
2 FATHER (INCLUDES STEP, FOSTER, ADOPTIVE)
|
3 SON (INCLUDES STEP, FOSTER, ADOPTIVE)
|
4 BROTHER (INCLUDES HALF, STEP, FOSTER, ADOPTIVE)
|
5 HUSBAND
|
6 UNMARRIED PARTNER
|
7 HOUSEMATE OR ROOMMATE
|
8 SON-IN-LAW
|
9 GRANDSON
|
10 FATHER-IN-LAW
|
11 GRANDFATHER
|
12 BOARDER OR ROOMER
|
13 OTHER RELATIVE
|
14 OTHER NON-RELATIVE
|
DK/REF
|
|
Question History: These are the only questions that have been used.
|
Response Rates
Below are the response rates and sample sizes for the 2015 NSDUH. They are organized by the demographic characteristics of the participants.
Response Rates and Sample Sizes for 2015 NSDUHs, by Demographic Characteristics
Demographic Characteristic
|
Selected Individuals
|
Completed Interviews
|
Weighted Response Rate
|
TOTAL
|
94,499
|
68,073
|
69.25%
|
AGE IN YEARS
|
|||
12-17
|
21,859
|
16,955
|
77.66%
|
18-25
|
23,211
|
17,215
|
74.45%
|
26 or Older
|
49,429
|
33,903
|
67.36%
|
GENDER
|
|||
Male
|
46,348
|
32,484
|
67.19%
|
Female
|
48,151
|
35,589
|
71.21%
|
RACE/ETHNICITY
|
|||
Hispanic
|
16,294
|
12,291
|
72.31%
|
White
|
58,741
|
41,176
|
67.94%
|
Black
|
10,704
|
8,435
|
76.08%
|
All Other Races
|
8,760
|
6,171
|
63.10%
|
REGION
|
|||
Northeast
|
18,988
|
13,026
|
65.61%
|
Midwest
|
22,523
|
15,890
|
68.39%
|
South
|
30,920
|
22,768
|
70.93%
|
West
|
22,239
|
16,389
|
70.09%
|
COUNTY TYPE
|
|||
Large Metropolitan
|
43,046
|
30,275
|
67.59%
|
Small Metropolitan
|
32,319
|
23,361
|
71.17%
|
Nonmetropolitan
|
19,134
|
14,147
|
71.50%
|
NOTE: Estimates are based on demographic information obtained from screener data and are not consistent with estimates on demographic characteristics presented in the 2015 set of detailed tables.
Source: SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2015.
Survey Links
Questionnaires
This survey can be found under ‘Methodology & Questionnaires’ tab, by clicking on ‘NSDUH Methodological Resource Book (MRB)’.
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health
Data
This information can be found on the main NSDUH website under ‘Survey Data’. Under ‘Survey Data’, the results from 2018 can be accessed by choosing ‘Latest Survey Results’. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/release/2018-national-survey-drug-use-and-health-nsduh-releases
From the SAMHSA homepage, results can be accessed by clicking the ‘Data’ subhead and choosing ‘National Survey on Drug Use and Health’ under the “Learn More About Our Data” section. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health
Also, on the SAMHSA website, reports and detailed tables from the 2015 NSDUH can be accessed by choosing ‘2015 NSDUH Releases.’ Once on this page, go to the ‘Detailed Tables’ section to find the tables for this year. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/results-2015-national-survey-drug-use-and-health-detailed-tables
General Information: https://nsduhweb.rti.org/respweb/about_nsduh.html
References
About Population Data/NSDUH. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health
National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Substance Abuse and Mental Service Administration. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. RTI International. (2017)
https://nsduhweb.rti.org/respweb/homepage.cfm
RTI International. Research Triangle Institute. (2017)
http://www.rti.org/about-us