Epidemiology of Substance Use Internationally

Abstract

This article reviews the epidemiology of substance use disorders in the United States. Some basic epidemiological definitions are noted, as well as a few important confounding factors specific to the epidemiology of the substance use disorders. Results are presented from some well-known household, treatment, law-enforcement, and population-specific surveys. The special case of addicted physicians is examined in depth, as is the most recent apparent epidemic of heroin use. Finally, some data from large treatment and outcome studies are presented, along with the author's conclusions.