Survey data need not underestimate alcohol consumption.
BACKGROUND
There are two main ways to assess alcohol consumption in a population: per capita estimates, usually derived from data on taxable alcohol available for consumption, and population-based surveys. Population-based survey estimates of alcohol consumption are often compared with estimates based on taxable alcohol available for consumption as a measure of validity. Discrepancies between these two measures occur, with the majority of population-based surveys substantially underestimating taxable alcohol available for consumption.


METHODS
This article argues, however, that high proportions of taxable alcohol available for consumption can be accounted for by population-based surveys and reports a method of data collection for a national alcohol survey that has accounted for 94% of the taxable alcohol in New Zealand.


RESULTS
The ability of the survey methodology to account for this proportion of taxable alcohol is likely due to the within-location beverage-specific alcohol consumption measures used in the survey, the process of recording the quantity of alcohol consumed, the use of a computer-assisted telephone interview system, and the population coverage achieved.


CONCLUSIONS
Population-based surveys using the methodology outlined in this article may account for, if not exceed, the high proportions of taxable alcohol available for consumption estimates for some populations.
Casswell
Sally
S
Alcohol& Public Health Research Unit, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. s.casswell@massey.ac.nz
Huckle
Taisia
T
Pledger
Megan
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric