Almost half of Australian drinkers — about six million people — drink alcohol with the intention of getting drunk, a new survey suggests.

The annual poll, released by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) on Wednesday, also found that the majority who consume alcohol to get drunk at least twice a week believe they are responsible drinkers.

“An overwhelming majority of Australian drinkers, 87%, consider themselves responsible drinkers, yet a high percentage of those drinkers consume alcohol to get drunk,” FARE chief executive Michael Thorn said in a statement.

The poll of 1820 people found the proportion of Australians who drink alcohol has remained relatively consistent over the past decade, increasing slightly from 81% in 2010 to 82% in 2019.