Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic - London

18
BMA Board of Science
increased with each quintile of deprivation. 12
In England, unemployed men were just as likely to
binge drink as working men (22% and 23% respectively). 40
A similar pattern is also seen for socio-economic classification. According to the GHS 2006,
individuals in managerial and professional occupations are more likely to have drunk alcohol in the
previous week, and to drink more frequently than those in routine and manual occupations; yet,
there is little difference in drinking above the daily recommendations between these two groups
(see Figure 5). 11
In terms of weekly alcohol consumption, men in managerial and professional
occupations were found to drink on average 19.9 units a week, compared to 16.7 units per week
for men in the routine and manual group. 11
In women, average weekly consumption for the
managerial and professional group was 10.7 units, compared to 7.1 units among those in the
routine and manual group. 11
Figure 5 – adults (aged 16 and over) drinking in the last week by socio-economic
classification, Great Britain, 2006
Percentage
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Drank last week Drank on five or
more days
Source: General household survey 2006 (Office for National Statistics, 2008)
The level of earnings is also associated with variations in alcohol consumption. Men and women
who are higher earners are more likely than the lower paid to have drunk alcohol at all, and to
4, 11
have drunk on five or more days. The GHS 2006 found that among full-time workers aged 16
to 64 who were earning more than £800 per week, 29 per cent of men and 16 per cent of
women had drunk on five or more days in the previous week, compared with 23 per cent of men
and 10 per cent of women earning £200 or less per week. 11
Men who are higher earners have
been found to be more likely to consume above recommended daily guidelines compared to low
earners, however, the reverse has been found among women. 4
Average weekly alcohol
consumption was also found to be higher among men and women in high income households. 11
In households with a gross income exceeding £1,000 per week, men drank on average 22.1 units
Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic
Drank over 4/3 units on
at least one day
Social-economic classification
Managerial and professional
Intermediate
Routine and manual
All adults
Drank over 8/6 units on
at least one day