Objective. To explore whether people who start drinking at an early age are
more likely to have been in physical fights after drinking, independent of
respondent history of alcohol dependence and frequency of heavy drinking.
Design. In 1992, the US Census Bureau interviewed, in person, 42 862 random
ly selected adults age 18 or older, mean age 44, household response rate 91
.9%, and in-person response rate 97.4%. The survey included questions regar
ding the age respondents started drinking, frequency of heavy drinking, and
whether respondents were ever or in the past year in a physical fight afte
r drinking alcohol.
Results. Relative to respondents who did not begin drinking until age 21 or
older, those who started drinking before age 17 were 2.9 to 4.1 times more
likely ever in their lives, and at least 3 times more likely in the past y
ear, to have been in a fight after drinking. These relationships were found
even after controlling for personal history of alcohol dependence, years o
f drinking, frequency of heavy drinking, smoking, drug use, and other perso
nal characteristics associated with the age respondents started drinking.
Conclusions. An early age of drinking onset was associated with alcohol-rel
ated violence not only among persons under age 21 but among adults as well.
Physicians need to query adolescent patients about the age they began drin
king and counsel them about the increased risks associated with early drink
ing onset, such as an increased risk of being involved in alcohol-related v
iolence.