Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic - London

BMA Board of Science
The social effects of alcohol misuse on individuals and families
Alcohol misuse can lead to many harmful consequences for the individual drinker, their family and
friends. In terms of the individual, alcohol misuse can be associated with many negative
consequences including tobacco and illicit drug use; accidents and injuries; malnutrition and eating
disorders; unemployment; social exclusion; memory loss; self-harm and suicide; unprotected and
underage sex; unplanned pregnancy; and problems in relationships with friends and partners. 4
There is a complex relationship between alcohol misuse and homelessness. Alcohol dependence
can lead to homelessness, while for others, alcohol problems may develop as a result of being
homeless. 3
3, 85
It has been estimated that around half of homeless people are dependent on alcohol.
In contrast, a 1994 survey of 1,061 homeless people in hostels, night-shelters, day centres and
86, 87
private-sector leased accommodation in Britain found over 21 per cent to be alcohol dependent.
Alcohol misuse can also significantly impact on family life. Marriages where there are alcohol
problems are twice as likely to end in divorce. 88
Parental alcohol misuse is correlated with child
abuse and significantly impacts on a child’s environment in many social, psychological and
economic ways. 89
Single parent households, low income and parental unemployment are all
significant risk factors for heavy alcohol use by children and young people. 4
In 2004, it was
estimated that between 780,000 and 1.3 million children were affected by parental alcohol
problems in England. 8
Drinking alcohol can impair performance as a parent, spouse or partner
through negative effects on relationships with family members and through time spent away from
the family and home. Alcohol use can significantly impact on family economic resources through
direct expenditure on alcohol, increased medical and childcare expenses, reduced household
income through alcohol-related morbidity and mortality, lost employment opportunities, legal costs
of alcohol-related offences and decreased eligibility for loans. 90
The economic consequences of
expenditures on alcohol can perpetuate the effects of poverty on families and children by diverting
scarce funds away from meeting basic needs. Alcohol misuse can also result in substantial mental
health problems for family members. 70
“”
Alcoholism destroys individuals and slowly but inevitably pulls the family down on
the back of “they like their drink”. Just imagine how different life would have been
for people and public figures without the destruction by alcohol.
BMA member
In the workplace, alcohol misuse is associated with lower productivity through sickness-related
8, 70, 91
absence and poor performance, as well as resulting in shorter working lives. It has been
estimated that alcohol misuse results in 17 million working days lost annually in England. 8
Research
has found that alcohol is a significant contributory factor in domestic violence incidents and that the
risks of suffering domestic abuse rise with increasing levels of drinking for both male and female
victims. 92
The BCS 2005-06 found that 46 per cent of domestic abuse offenders were under the
influence of alcohol. 80
The Northern Ireland Crime Survey (NICS) 2005 found that 51 per cent of
perpetrators of domestic violence were identified by their victims as under the influence of alcohol
at the time of their worst incident. 93
It has been found that domestic abuse characterised by the
perpetrator’s pre-assault alcohol use is associated with more serious outcomes, with perpetrator
alcohol use being associated with approximately 1.5 times greater risk of victim injury and receipt of
medical attention. 94
Victims of domestic abuse have also been found to have increased alcohol
consumption compared with non-victims, 95
and children who witness domestic abuse are more likely
to display harmful drinking patterns later in life. 92
Further information on domestic abuse and its
association with alcohol misuse can be found in the 2007 BMA report Domestic abuse. 96
Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic 41