28% harmed by other’s drinking, HSE report finds
Such consequences include family and financial problems, assault, having property vandalised and being a passenger with a drunk driver.
One in six women experienced family problems, while one in nine men reported assaults because of other people’s drinking.
Young men had the highest rate of assaults at one in five and the highest number of incidents of being a passenger with a drunk driver at one in six.
Young women had the highest rate of reported family problems, at one in five, due to others’ drinking.
Children were badly affected, with one in 10 parents and guardians saying that their children were hurt, either mentally or physically, in the past 12 months because of someone else’s drinking.
Children suffered verbal and physical abuse, were left in unsafe situations and witnessed serious violence in the home.
Parents who were regular risky drinkers were more likely (one in eight) to report that their children were exposed to harm.
It also found that the proportion of Irish workers reporting harm from a colleague’s drinking was twice as high as that of their Australian counterparts.
Those from lower income groups were more vulnerable to family problems, at almost one in five, because of someone else’s drinking, a situation that is also contributing to the health inequality gap.
However, the report — Alcohol’s Harm to Others in Ireland — found that little progress has been made in the last two decades in implementing effective policies to reduce alcohol-related harm, despite many reports.
The report, based on responses to previous national drinking surveys between 2006 and 2011, says alcohol policy from now on needs to be focused on the protection of young adults, women and children.
The HSE’s national director for health and wellbeing, Stephanie O’Keeffe said that the report was commissioned in response to the growing recognition of alcohol-related harm and how it extends from the person who is drinking and those around them.
Minister of State for primary care Alex White said the report confirmed what many people already suspected, that the harm caused by alcohol use extended far beyond the drinker.
He said the findings of the report strongly supported the Government’s Public Health (Alcohol) Bill currently being drafted to address key areas of alcohol-harm reduction, including the pricing, marketing and availability of alcohol.
Alcohol Action Ireland said pricing, marketing and availability needed to be regulated. AAI chief executive Suzanne Costello said self-regulation of the alcohol industry had proven to be wholly ineffective with regard to public health.
-More than one in four of the population have experienced at least one or more negative consequences because of someone else’s drinking — family problems, being a passenger with a drunk driver, physical assaults, vandalised property, and money problems.
-Women (one in six) are more likely to experience family problems, and men (one in nine) are more likely to report assaults.
-More young men (one in six) said they were a passenger in a vehicle with a drunk driver than any other group.
-Almost one in five of those from lower income groups were more vulnerable to family problems due to another person’s drinking.
-One in 10 parents said their children had suffered over the past 12 months because of someone else’s drinking. Children were verbally abused, left in unsafe situations, and witnessed serious violence and physical abuse in the home.
-Heavy-drinking parents were more likely to admit that children experienced one or more of the alcohol-related harms.
-If a heavy-drinking parent is in the house with another drinker, the harm experienced by the children could be substantial.
-One in 10 Irish workers experienced at least one or more negative consequences due to a colleagues’ heavy drinking.
-Men (one in seven) and workers in the youngest age group (one in six) are most likely to experience negative consequences.
-One in six young men said their ability to do their job was affected and one in nine said they had to work extra hours because their co-workers were heavy drinkers.
-Reported physical injury and mental damage in the Irish workforce were double that found in Australia.-
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