Rachel N. Lipari, Ph.D., and Struther L. Van Horn, M.A. – 2017
Based on data from the combined 2009 to 2014 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, about 1 in 8 children (8.7 million) aged 17 or younger lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year substance use disorder (SUD). SUDs are characterized by recurrent use of alcohol or other drugs (or both) that results in significant impairment. About 1 in 10 children (7.5 million) lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year alcohol use disorder. About 1 in 35 children (2.1 million) lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year illicit drug use disorder.