OBJECTIVE:

To calculate binge drinking rates among California adults and describe the characteristics of female and male binge drinkers.

METHOD:

Analyses of 2005 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data.

RESULTS:

At least one binge drinking episode over a 30-day period was reported by 1.4 million California women (10.7% of all adult women) and 3.2 million California men (24.7%). For both women and men, factors associated with binge drinking included being 18-44 years of age, smoking, and having mid-range psychological distress scores. There were gender differences in binge drinking risk by race/ethnicity and health status.

CONCLUSION:

Binge drinking is a serious public health concern that affects millions of adult Californians [corrected].