{Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries. The harmful use of alcohol causes a large disease, social and economic burden in societies.}
According to WHO Statistics worldwide, 3.3 million people die every year due to harmful use of alcohol, this represent 5.9 % of all deaths.
The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions.
Overall 5.1 % of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability- adjusted life years (DALYs).
Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. In the age group 20 – 39 years approximately 25 % of the total deaths are alcohol-attributable.
There is a causal relationship between harmful use of alcohol and a range of mental and behavioural disorders, other noncommunicable conditions as well as injuries.
The latest causal relationships have been established between harmful drinking and incidence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis as well as the course of HIV/AIDS.
Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large.
{{Ways to reduce the burden from harmful use of alcohol}}
The health, safety and socioeconomic problems attributable to alcohol can be effectively reduced and requires actions on the levels, patterns and contexts of alcohol consumption and the wider social determinants of health.
Countries have a responsibility for formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating public policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Substantial scientific knowledge exists for policy-makers on the effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of the following strategies:
regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages (in particular to younger people);
regulating and restricting availability of alcohol;
enacting appropriate drink-driving policies;
reducing demand through taxation and pricing mechanisms;
raising awareness of public health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol and ensuring support for effective alcohol policies;
providing accessible and affordable treatment for people with alcohol-use disorders; and
implementing screening and brief interventions programmes for hazardous and harmful drinking in health services.
{{WHO response}}
WHO aims is to reduce the health burden caused by the harmful use of alcohol and, thereby, to save lives, prevent injuries and diseases and improve the well-being of individuals, communities and society at large.
WHO emphasizes the development, implementation and evaluation of cost-effective interventions for harmful use of alcohol as well as creating, compiling and disseminating scientific information on alcohol use and dependence, and related health and social consequences.
In 2010, the World Health Assembly approved a resolution to endorse a global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The resolution urged countries to strengthen national responses to public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol.
The global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol represents a collective commitment by WHO Member States to reduce the global burden of disease caused by harmful use of alcohol. The strategy includes evidence-based policies and interventions that can protect health and save lives if adopted, implemented and enforced. The strategy also contains a set of principles to guide the development and implementation of policies; it sets priority areas for global action, recommends target areas for national action and gives a strong mandate to WHO to strengthen action at all levels.
The policy options and interventions available for national action can be grouped into 10 recommended target areas, which are mutually supportive and complementary. The 10 areas are:
leadership, awareness and commitment
health services’ response
community action
drink–driving policies and countermeasures
availability of alcohol
marketing of alcoholic beverages
pricing policies
reducing the negative consequences of drinking and alcohol intoxication
reducing the public health impact of illicit alcohol and informally produced alcohol
monitoring and surveillance.
The Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) has been developed by WHO to dynamically present data on levels and patterns of alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable health and social consequences and policy responses at all levels.
Successful implementation of the strategy will require action by countries, effective global governance and appropriate engagement of all relevant stakeholders. By effectively working together, the negative health and social consequences of alcohol can be reduced.
Leave a Reply