Data Highlight Spirituality-Alcohol Link

“Religious Involvement and Substance Abuse Among Adults,” a report based on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), provides a snapshot of religiosity and sobriety among Americans. NSDUH is conducted by the Office of Applied Studies in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

In 2005, about 168 million adults aged 18 or older (78.1 percent) said that religious beliefs are a very important part of their lives, 75.1 percent reported that religious beliefs influence how they make decisions in their lives, and 30.8 percent attended religious services 25 times or more in the past year.

Adults who attended religious services 25 times or more in the preceding year were less likely to have used cigarettes, alcohol, or illicit drugs in the past month than those who attended religious services fewer than 25 times.

About 6 percent of the adults who reported that religious beliefs are a very important part of their lives used illicit drugs in the month prior to the survey, compared with about 14 percent of adults who reported that religious beliefs are not a very important part of their lives. Religiosity has been identified in other research as an important protective factor against substance use.

Public-opinion polling has shown that 63 percent of Americans were members of a church or synagogue in 2006.

NSDUH compiles data on religious-service attendance and religious beliefs, whether religious beliefs are a very important part of Americans' lives, and whether their religious beliefs influence how they make decisions. NSDUH also includes questions about use of cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs during the month prior to the interview. Illicit drugs refer to marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, and prescription drugs used nonmedically.

See related story in this issue, Original article: “Spirituality Valuable Asset on Road to Sobriety.”