The 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) [16] data were used as the comparison group. The NESARC was conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau under the direction of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of 43,093 noninstitutionalized adults in the United States, involving in-person interviews. It was used to assess alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking, and APs. The NESARC response rate for the first wave (2001–2002) was 81%. Monthly drinkers were asked, “How long has it been since you last drank?” and classified into one of two groups: “reported drinking the day of or up to 48 hours prior to the interview” or “did not drink the day of or up to 48 hours prior to the interview.” Abstainers and non-monthly drinkers were also considered as participants who did not drink prior to the interview. Heavy episodic drinking denoted participants who drank the day of the interview or up to 48 hours prior to the interview and who typically consumed 5 or more drinks (4 or more
