Using data from a national survey, a new government report released on Thursday reveals that 10.5 percent of children under the age of 18 (7.5 million of this population) in the US live with a parent who has experienced an alcohol use disorder in the past year.
The report was released to coincide with Children of Alcoholics Week, which runs from 12 to 18 February.
Children who live with an alcoholic parent are at greater risk of parental neglect or abuse. They also have a greater risk of developing mental health problems such as anxiety disorders, depression, and problems with cognitive and verbal skills.
For the report, analysts from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), used data from the organization’s 2005-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The nationwide survey is conducted every year and covers about 67,500 people aged 12 and over.
SAMHSA uses the definition of alcohol use disorder given in the fourth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM-IV). The term includes dependence or abuse of alcohol.
According to the report, 6.1 of the 7.5 million children live with two parents, where either one or both has experienced problems with alcohol in the past year.
