The research design that was used to collect data in this research was multiple time series. The author of the article used the data that was collected from the cases that were recorded previously over a period of time. The data was sampled to come up with the results that formed the topic under study. The data that was used for the study was drawn from the collections by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). The data gave clear information of the fatality cases that have been experienced on the highways of Tennessee in United States. The data was sampled on a monthly basis to find out to what extend the accidents were taking place. The data showed whether the numbers of such cases were increasing or reducing as the years went by. The sampling technique was done using specific variables that were related to the increased level of accidents. The sampling procedure was also based on the number of cases that were recorded before and after the use of emergency cellular phones.
The independent variable that was used for this research included the rate of beer consumption, the rate of unemployment and the rate of gasoline consumption. All this was done to identify how using cellular phones impacted on the program of minimizing accidents. The findings of the data revealed that the use of emergency cellular phones reduced accidents by a certain percentage. The emergency cellular phones were utilized by the police officers and other witnesses who had to report the occurrence of the accident for necessary action to be taken. However, these results could not be relied on due to certain limitations. There are certain changes that were made on Tennessees highway due to the reported accidents. It is hence not clear whether it was the use if cellular phones that minimized on the accidents or such improvement that were made. There was also no clear evidence to actually suggest that it was the use of such cellular phones that minimized on the accident. The research was mainly carried out before they started using it and results shown after. There could be other factors that improved the situation that were ignored by the research.
The research design that was used to collect data in this research was multiple time series. The author of the article used the data that was collected from the cases that were recorded previously over a period of time. The data was sampled to come up with the results that formed the topic under study. The data that was used for the study was drawn from the collections by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). The data gave clear information of the fatality cases that have been experienced on the highways of Tennessee in United States. The data was sampled on a monthly basis to find out to what extend the accidents were taking place. The data showed whether the numbers of such cases were increasing or reducing as the years went by. The sampling technique was done using specific variables that were related to the increased level of accidents. The sampling procedure was also based on the number of cases that were recorded before and after the use of emergency cellular phones.
The independent variable that was used for this research included the rate of beer consumption, the rate of unemployment and the rate of gasoline consumption. All this was done to identify how using cellular phones impacted on the program of minimizing accidents. The findings of the data revealed that the use of emergency cellular phones reduced accidents by a certain percentage. The emergency cellular phones were utilized by the police officers and other witnesses who had to report the occurrence of the accident for necessary action to be taken. However, these results could not be relied on due to certain limitations. There are certain changes that were made on Tennessees highway due to the reported accidents. It is hence not clear whether it was the use if cellular phones that minimized on the accidents or such improvement that were made. There was also no clear evidence to actually suggest that it was the use of such cellular phones that minimized on the accident. The research was mainly carried out before they started using it and results shown after. There could be other factors that improved the situation that were ignored by the research.
The rates associated with university students alcohol consumption increased significantly. Excessive drinking became the problem which is relevant for both female and male students. Much attention is also paid to differences associated with the students self-rated health. The aim of this study is to research the alcohol consumption levels among the university students, state whether there is an association between alcohol consumption and gender, and focus on differences in the self-rated health status of female and male students.
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with involving 70 first-year male and female students from the Linkoping University. Participants were provided with questionnaires to state their drinking behaviors and health status. The results were measured with the help of the chi-squared distribution and t test. It is found that there are differences in alcohol consumption among genders, and the most active alcohol consumers are female students. It is also stated that female students are inclined to note their health status as high in comparison with male students.
Differences between Genders
The rates associated with alcohol consumption among university students rise each year, and excessive drinking can affect the self-rated health significantly. Researchers are inclined to state that female students drink less than male students, and women also state the highest self-rated health status among university students (Demirchyan, Petrosyan, & Thompson, 2012, p. 68).
The problem is in the fact that today the difference in alcohol consumption related to genders can be discussed as meaningless because of changes in correlations, and male and female students often demonstrate equal rates in excessive drinking (White & Hingson, 2014, p. 202). Thus, to address the real-life problem associated with changes in the alcohol consumption tendencies, it is necessary to answer the following research questions: Is there an association between alcohol consumption and gender? Are there differences in the self-rated health between genders?
The aim of this research is to provide answers to these questions while conducting a cross-sectional descriptive study involving first-year students from the Linkoping University. The current study aims to support or disprove such hypotheses: (1) There is an association between alcohol consumption and gender; (2) There are differences in the self-rated health status stated by females and males.
Conclusion
The tendency in associating the high levels of alcohol consumption with male students should be discussed as out-of-date. The researchs findings demonstrate that the rates of drinking among the first-year students of the Linkoping University are high, and the most active alcohol consumers are female students. In spite of the fact that the study supported the hypothesis on the association between drinking and gender differences, further research is necessary to explain why modern female students are inclined to drink a lot.
Still, female students are inclined to note the higher health status while referring to the concept of the self-rated health. Thus, the female students from the Linkoping University rated their health status in eight and higher scores more frequently than male students. That is why, more research is necessary to state what factors influence the students discussion of their health depending on the gender aspect. Moreover, it is necessary to explore whether differences in alcohol consumption in relation to genders can affect differences in discussing the self-rated health.
The study shows that female students have better health than male students, but it is important to examine how female and male students associate their alcohol consumption with their health status because of negative effects of alcohol on the health. The findings of this research accentuate the necessity to pay more attention to the alcohol consumption among male and female students because of controversial changes in drinking habits related to the first-year female students.
References
Demirchyan, A., Petrosyan, V., & Thompson, M. (2012). Gender differences in predictors of self-rated health in Armenia: a population-based study of an economy in transition. International Journal for Equity in Health, 11(2), 67-80.
White, A., & Hingson, R. (2014). The burden of alcohol use. Alcohol Research, 35(2), 201-218.
Rates of alcoholism in two countries compared to US
Two countries where the drinking age is 16 include Germany and Luxembourg among others (Deutsche Welle, 2012). This age limit has allowed various individuals to legally access alcohol despite the warnings. Considerably, the rates of drinking alcohol has increased in both countries with Germany and Luxembourg rated fifth and fourth heaviest drinking countries in Europe after Hungary, Czech Republic and Ireland (Deutsche Welle, 2012).
When compared to US, the drinking rates in these countries are still higher. It is notable that the drinking rates in US are increasingly considerable. This varies from one state to the next depending on the federal laws guiding the aspects of alcoholism in each state. It is important to agree that legal drinking age can contribute considerably to the societal attitude towards drinking.
Evidently, children from the concerned countries will grow knowing that alcohol is legalized and consumable. This will lead to youths indulging in drinking at younger ages. This will promote the provisions of drug abuse and addiction. The legal drinking age is influential and acts as one of the contributors to drug abuse and addiction noticed among the youths and minority groups.
Alcohol Self-Assessment Test
The questions provided in this test tend to unveil self-perceptions of addicts concerning alcoholic behaviors, the frequency at which they drink, and their experiences as drinkers (Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 2012). The test writer follows critical views of alcoholism ranging from social impacts to economic damages. Additionally, the questions reflect on societal views regarding alcoholism by trying to unearth social impacts that alcoholism fronts to the concerned drinkers.
Comparing and contrasting disease model of alcoholism with social-setting theory
Since alcoholism is a form of addiction, it can be graded in the disease model of addiction in order to illuminate most of its provisions. Firstly, it demands some biological contributions, which are triggered, steered, and nurtured by the environmental factors incorporating the societal factors. In comparison, when there is alcoholism in the social setting, there are higher chances that the concerned entities will comply to the disease models of alcoholism.
Precisely, alcoholism (as an addiction factor) is promoted by the social-settings assumed by an individual. If an individual lives in a place where alcohol is promoted and embraced, there are higher chances that the concerned social-setting will trigger his/her addiction probabilities. This is promoted by the biological/genetic factors as claimed by the disease model of addiction.
Benefits and drawbacks of controlled-drinking theory
Controlled drinking has numerous benefits when considered critically. Firstly, the move can help in reducing the incidences of drug abuse and addiction. Young people will not indulge into drinking at their tender ages, a fact that promotes drug abuse and the alleged addiction (Peele & Alexander, 2012). Additionally, such restriction serves as drug abuse prevention mechanisms since people will not attempt to break the law deliberately.
Another benefit is that people will drink responsible thus reducing their indulgence into excessive drinking and alcoholism. This is quite beneficial to drunkards who can hardly control their drinking behaviors. Evidently, alcohol consumption requires stringent regulation in order to minimize irresponsible behaviors and the aspects of addiction.
The drawbacks of controlled-drinking theory range from economic factors to social provisions. When alcohol-drinking is controlled, it means that businesses dealing with alcohol will not boom. Concurrently, drinkers will not enjoy to their fullest and social aspects associated with alcohol will be compromised.
A significant number of students have been shown to be affected by drinking problems. The negative impacts of alcohol in college results from excessive consumption of alcohol (Bersamin, Paschall, Saltz, and Zamboanga 275). The issue has become an important social topic because the problem is widespread. For example, it is argued that 80% of college students drink alcohol. About 50% of the students have been demonstrated to engage in binge drinking. Apart from the high number of deaths that are associated with the social menace, the problem has also been the main cause of low grades among students (Cleveland, Lanza, Ray, Turrisi, and Mallett 440).
The study focused on understanding the effects of alcohol on college learners with regard to academic performance outcomes. It is worth noting that performance could be affected by other factors than alcohol consumption. However, excessive drinking contributes to low academic grades through high rates of absenteeism, a student falls and decreased concentration in class (Grant, LaBrie, Hummer, and Lac 51).
The study used a population of UCI students. Particularly, the students taking the Sociology 110 Course were used as the sample. The researchers were the students studying the course. The study adopted the hypothesis and variables that are described below:
Social issue: College drinking
Hypothesis: Students who spend more hours drinking alcohol perform poorly in class.
Independent variable
Conceptual definition: Long drinking hours
Operational definition 1: What is the number of hours you spend drinking on a weekly basis?
Operational definition 2: Have you ever drunk for 12 hours or more hours a week during a week?
Dependent variable
Conceptual definition: Academic performance
Operational definition 1: What is your current UCI GPA in college?
Operational definition 2: Is your current GPA of 3.0 or more?
Control Variables
Conceptual definition for control number 1: Gender
The operational definition for control number 1: What is your gender? (male or female)
Conceptual definition for control number 2: Family background
The operational definition for control number 2: What do you consider the class of your family? (Upper class, middle class, working-class, or lower class)
The results indicated that students who spent more hours drinking were performing poorly in college. Thus, the hypothesis that was formulated in the study was supported by the findings. This could be an implication that a significant number of students could forget about attending lectures and/or doing assignments. However, the inclusion of the control variables in the analysis changed the results. In fact, the control variables influenced the outcome variables in different ways.
For example, it could be established that male and female students exhibited different patterns of drinking alcohol. To be specific, male students spent more hours drinking than their female counterparts. However, males who spent the same number of hours with females taking alcohol could perform better in class. This could be an indication that males could be less affected by the excessive consumption of alcohol. In addition, social classes of families of students showed important impacts on the performances of students who took alcohol. For example, it was noted that students from lower classes spent a relatively small number of hours drinking. This could be because they were not used to taking alcohol at the early stages of life, for example, during adolescence. However, students from middle-class families were shown to spend more hours drinking.
The findings from the study have important implications for college administration teams, students, and parents. The results could be utilized to minimize the poor performance outcomes that are correlated with college drinking students.
Reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the study
When conducting a study, it is important to consider the various factors that could contribute to strengths and weaknesses (Creswell 34; Neuman 38). In fact, researchers always aim at ensuring that their study designs have more strengths than shortcomings. With regard to the completed study, it would be important to discuss the study design and implementation, sampling, and measurement.
Measurement
The operational definitions adopted in the study were characterized by a high level of validity. They were formulated on a platform of scientific basis that could be verified through testing of hypothesis. Thus, other researchers could easily notice that they could be relied upon when making inferences about the population (Creswell 98). It could also be stated that the definitions did not introduce any type of errors. It is worth noting that errors could negatively impact the reliability of a study. Overall, there was a high level of measurement of each operational definition used in the study. Both open-headed and closed-headed questions were adopted with a view to getting answers from respondents. The type of answers that were intended to be obtained determined the type of questions used (Neuman 76).
For example, the question about gender was closed-headed because a respondent could be either a female or male. It is believed that the study used the right wording of the questions because the answers obtained were clear. If the wording were not effective, then the respondents could have provided unclear responses.
Sampling
The universe of the sample used in the study could be stated as being the entire number of students in the college where the research was conducted. The sampling frame in the study was complete because it contained all students and their full details with regard to drinking behaviors, gender, and family backgrounds. A simple random sample was utilized. It was this type of sample because the respondents were picked in a random manner from a group of potential study participants. With regard to the sample, repetitions could not be accepted in the study because the population was numbered from 0 to n.
It is important to note that the results could be generalizable to larger populations. Particularly, they could be applied to colleges with larger populations in different social settings. In justifying the aspect of generalizability, it is worth noting that college populations have students who have similar trends in drinking patterns and family backgrounds. Due to this aspect, the results could be applied to different institutions of learning to bring about social changes that could be associated with alcohol drinking among students.
Survey design and administration
The study used a cross-sectional survey design, which implied that data were collected at a particular time without the need to follow drinking patterns among participants over time. The survey was administered using the face-to-face approach. The approach has both merits and demerits. One merit of the survey design is that a researcher could clarify issues to respondents, for example, by rephrasing questions (Neuman 75). In addition, it is practical to study facial expressions of study participants (Neuman 76). However, the design is characterized by the demerit of high expenditure. For example, it requires a significant amount of money for researchers to travel. In addition, the training of persons to collect data is also expensive.
Conclusion
The survey was very effective in understanding the relationships among the three types of variables that were studied. It helped to establish that family backgrounds have important roles with regard to college drinking. For example, it was shown that students from the middle class have more tendencies to engage in alcohol drinking while in college. This could be attributed to the early alcohol exposures that are associated with the families because they could afford to purchase alcoholic drinks. Important lessons were learned from the survey. First, it was shown that the choice of survey design could have vital implications on the overall results.
For example, the decision to adopt an approach that could lead to the collection of a limited amount of data could imply that findings could not be used to make a conclusion about a population. Second, it was learned that, although independent variables are mainly influenced by dependent variables, control variables also have impacts on the outcome variables. The associations among the three types of variables result in a complicated network of outcomes. Third, it was learned that the methods that are used to analyze data could largely determine the validity and reliability of findings.
If the study were to be repeated, it would be important to do some things differently. For example, it would be wise to increase the sample size to increase the level of reliability. In addition, it would be essential to conduct the study in many colleges so that better results would be attained.
Works Cited
Bersamin, Melina , Mallie Paschall, Robert Saltz, and Byron Zamboanga. Young adults and casual sex: The relevance of college drinking settings. Journal of sex research 49.2-3 (2012): 274-281. Print.
Cleveland, Michael, Stephanie Lanza, Anne Ray, Rob Turrisi, and Kimberly Mallett. Transitions in first-year college student drinking behaviors: Does pre-college drinking moderate the effects of parent-and peer-based intervention components?. Psychology of addictive behaviors 26.3 (2012): 440. Print.
Creswell, John. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2013. Print.
Grant, Sean, Joseph LaBrie, Justin Hummer, and Andrew Lac. How drunk am I? Misperceiving ones level of intoxication in the college drinking environment. Psychology of addictive behaviors 26.1 (2012): 51. Print.
Neuman, William. Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2010. Print.
Alcohol abuse among the adolescents and teenagers is a major issue affecting most societies today. More and more adolescents are getting involved with the consumption of alcohol with major consequences not only for the individuals but also for the society. Factors which leads to this phenomenon are largely embedded in the social system manifested in cognition and can be reduced through the education system since it affects the school going population.
Introduction
Various factors, both personal and environmental, seem to predispose adolescents and teenagers from being exposed to harm from alcohol consumption. Of the most powerful determinants, environmental factors have been identified as determining the pattern and level of use. Personal risk factors include the exposure and use of alcohol at an early stage in life, unhealthy or insufficient healthy bonding, non conventionality, deviant behavior, having a role model within or outside the family who drinks, pleasure seeking, low religiosity and self acceptance. There is also a marked difference between individuals experiencing their alcohol consumption at an early stage in life and those who have a well established harm from use.
There is both personal and interpersonal meaning to the use of alcohol and an essential set of values which cannot be distinguished from the perceived negative consequences and benefits associated with it. Alcohol consumption among the adolescents and teenagers occur as a result of various complex and interrelated factors which includes peers, social environment, advertising, self image and boredom (Mitchell, 1998. p 28). Mostly, the use of drugs is often associated with beneficial experiences which have the capacity to enhance socialization. These experiences are further associated with a change in the state of consciousness which stimulates the excitement for risk taking.
Factors which lead to excessive alcohol consumption among teenagers and adolescents
General Factors
In the United States, drinking is highly discouraged before adulthood. However, the popular culture has led to young people being introduced to alcohol at an earlier age, probably within the family in the context of meals and celebrations. This permissive and integrative approach to drinking is common in cultures with Mediterranean style of drinking. The drinking pattern of young people is generally determined by the overall drinking culture. For instance, young people within the Mediterranean culture are likely to drink than their counterparts in other regions. However, they are often less likely to engage in dangerous drinking habits unlike their Scandinavian counterparts (Nebbitt, 2007. p 77). These findings show that culture play an integral role in shaping drinking patterns for young people.
Other factors also help develop and shape young peoples attitude towards alcohol consumption. These factors mainly exist within the family since they largely depend on the general family attitude towards alcohol. Parents through their drinking habits may influence the young people to adopt the same habits since as a young person grows within the family, he or she learns what is acceptable from within it. For instance, in a family where one or both of the parents drink, there is a high likelihood of a child growing up within this set up to develop the habit of drinking. However, whether the habit harms the individual in future or not depends on several factors, mostly societal and cognitive.
In the development of drinking patterns, the structure of the family may be a risk or protective factor. Young people from strong family backgrounds in terms of support and close relationships are less likely to experience excessive drinking patterns than those who come from a loosely structured family. As such, parent supervision and support is important in putting in check the behavior of young people. Beyond this, there is also the influence of religion, peers and friends which play an integral part in influencing the decision of whether to drink or not.
Socio-psychological factors
Dynamisms in the family and peer relationships coupled with alterations in cognition and growth related to puberty play a major role in the onset and escalation of the use of alcohol. Between the ages of ten and fifteen, the youths begin to forge associations with their peers which in turn results in less time with the parents and families. At around these ages, the awareness of societal influence by the youths erodes their thought processes. Their processing of cultural messages as exhibited by the media and their peers becomes more or less like that of grown ups.
With regard to drinking, young people come to associate it with heroism and boldness which influences them to take up the habit. Early adolescents develop their thinking from the society and more so from observing the behavior of their peers (Gail, 2004 p14). The mass media influences the perception of the youths with regard to alcohol use since it displays scenes of adolescents engaging in drinking habits without suffering any negative consequences.
Alcohol use by the adolescents can also be attributed to changes which occur in the brain during this period of human development associated with neurocognitive functions which involve risk taking and decision making. With this regard, biological effects of puberty also influence alcohol use in early adolescence.
Behavioral changes in adolescents and teenagers due to alcohol consumption
Alcohol use among the young people and harmful behaviors in future may be predicted especially during adolescence. Teenagers involved with alcohol use are more likely to abuse them in the future than those who are not yet exposed. Evidence also indicates that the harmful and reckless alcohol use by the majority of young people is as a result of gradual development over time. Generally, increased responsibility reduces drug abuse patterns and hence young people should be informed through the education system on the dangers of drug abuse. In the adult perspective, drug abuse among the young people is associated with negative health consequences.
Since alcohol alters brain development among the teenagers and adolescents involved in its intake, their behaviors are bound to change. Teenagers who drink are likely to be violent towards their peers, not to mention lack of respect for their seniors (Wechsler, Lee, Nelson & Kuo, 2002 p 225-226). They are also more likely to be involved in criminal acts. Generally, alcohol consumption among teenagers and adolescents may be linked to juvenile delinquency.
Impact of alcohol consumption on education and future of adolescents and teenagers
Evidence show that repeated exposure to alcohol results in a persistent deficit in cognitive abilities among the adolescents (Graves, 2000 p 35). This influences their academic ability due to decreased capacity to learn and memorize. The result is that adolescents involved in alcohol consumption will most likely drop out of school which will in turn jeopardize their future. Research indicate that teenage alcohol use, especially when it can result into withdrawal when stopped, damage attention and memory which are the two most important abilities for reconciling the tasks of adolescents and facilitating successful transition into adulthood (Oesterle, S. et al 2004 p 205). These impairments result from alterations in the functions of the brain which may make it difficult for the youth to integrate into the learning system (National Institute of Health, 2003)
Methods used to prevent alcohol consumption in adolescents and teenagers
It is always very important to prevent the beginning of drug use among the teenagers since this is the period they experience major cognitive, social, biological and emotional changes which may influence their decision to take drugs. Prevention programs in the United States have demonstrated success with regard to reducing drug use. However, reviews of research on school based drug abuse prevention pointed towards variability in the extent of program effects.
The approach that has been proposed by researchers as a probably effective and appropriate intervention method is the community approach. These community approaches as a way of realizing positive changes in the lives of the young people target the entire community. Evidence suggests that that positive impact has been realized with regard to alcohol use through the adoption of community approaches. This is however inconclusive owing to lack of control groups and the use of poor evaluation methodology.
Individual approaches on the other hand focus on providing training for the development of self control skills at an individual level so as to bring about changes in the pattern of drug use. The skill training is often integrated with bicultural competence so as to equip the young people with coping skills which will enable them to negotiate between the popular culture and native cultures. This increases the sense of self efficacy in both cultures. Evidence from research supports this bicultural approach. From research findings, young people who acquired culturally-sensitive skills training exhibited positive change with regard to drinking behaviour.
The strategy which is widely adopted to combat drug misuse combines both enforcement and prevention approaches. Because of the complexity of the drinking problem, the approach incorporates partnership between government departments, agencies and groups in planning and delivering programs. The strategy focuses on four targets which include community, young people, availability and treatment. Its purpose is to help young people resist drug abuse so they may achieve full potential (Poth, Greenberg & Turrisi, 2008). Its key objective is to decrease the number of adolescents and teenagers who report illegal drug use within the past months and previous years. The goal was to be accomplished through introducing drug education in schools. It also targeted drug prevention programs which focus on the young people exposed to risk.
The preferred approach to handling drug related issues within the context of education has been school drug education. Even though part of a community or a comprehensive national approach, the empirical benefits from these school programs has been limited as much as there have been high expectations of successful outcomes (Shannon, 2005 p 117). Information concerning drugs and alcohol use is often provided by education departments which also carry out sessions of discussion, decision making and skill building programs. Interventions which sometimes are conducted by personnel of divergent backgrounds and experience are sometimes one-off. There is a general notion that the efforts of these drug education programs are not effective in either delaying or preventing use. As such, they fail to identify and address the associated problems and needs of the young people. (Komro & Toomey 2002 p 8).
Various efforts have been made at state and national levels within the United States to address school drug education exhaustively. The United States National Initiatives in Drug Education project through integrated information strategy was focused on promoting the importance of drug education in schools. This it does through targeting teachers, principals, administrators and the entire community. It also aims at providing teachers and parents with knowledge necessary in assisting the schools and the communities to tackle the issue of drugs in an integrated and sustainable way. Various departments in states within the United States have achieved specialized and complementary approaches to the drug problem.
Health Promoting Schools framework has also been identified as effective in addressing alcohol, drug and other health related issues in the United States. Through providing complementary health practices and policies, the classroom health and learning experiences have been reinforced in schools within this network. The key elements include incorporating social, mental, physical and environmental aspects of health. It also involves the development of a detailed school health curriculum, close parental cooperation, increased participation by the students and staff in policy development and decision making and support for health promoting programs by all the parties involved.
Conclusion
It is the responsibility of every family and learning institution to consider its response to drugs and alcohol use among teenagers and adolescents. The main purpose of drug education is to prepare pupils for healthy and informed choices when it comes to drugs and drug abuse. Expectations on how drug education affects schools are often high just like those of social, personal and health education. These expectations are centered on increasing knowledge, changing attitudes and enhancing skills. As such, these targets are difficult to achieve when they are exclusively centered on the schools.
It has been observed that the quality of drug education provisions in schools is improving. The planning of drug education programs has been improved with many schools in a better position to handle alcohol related problems and incidences. As much as schools, through drug education programs, enable pupils to acquire knowledge on drugs and their effects, friends and families also play an important role.
References
Egendorf, L. K. (Ed.). (2001). Teen alcoholism: Contemporary issues companion. California: Green haven Press.
Gail, S. (2004). Teens & alcohol. New Jersey: Mason Crest.
Graves, B. (2000). Alcohol use and abuse: Perspectives on physical health. Minnesota: Capstone Press.
Komro, K. A., & Toomey, T. L. (2002). Strategies to prevent underage drinking. Alcohol Research & Health, 26 (1), 5, 10. EBSCOhost (Masterfile Premier), Item number: 7186824.
Mitchell, H. R. (1998). Teen alcoholism: Teen issues. California: Lucent Books.
Nebbitt, J. (2008) Alcohol and culture. Howard University press.
Poth, R., Greenberg, M., & Turrisi, R. (2008). Preventive interventions addressing underage drinking: State of the evidence and steps toward public health impact. Pediatrics, 121, 311-336. Abstract retrieved from EBSCOhost Academic Search Masterfile Premier database.
Oesterle, S., Hill, K. G., Hawkins, J.D., Guo, J., and R.F. Catalano. (2004). Adolescent Heavy Episodic Drinking Trajectories and Health In Young Adulthood. Journal of Studies on Alcohol.
Shannon, J. B. (Ed.). (2005). Alcohol information for teens: Health tips about alcohol and alcoholism. Michigan: Omnigraphics.
Wechsler, H., Lee, J. E., Nelson, T. F., & Kuo, M. (2002). Underage college students drinking behavior, access to alcohol, and the influence of deterrence policies. Journal of American College Health, 50 (5). EBSCOhost (Masterfile Premier), Item number: 6755896.
The present paper looks at the issues of alcohol and the part that this liquid plays in violent crimes and offences in three major countries of the world: the U.K., the United States, and Australia. The paper extensively reviews research studies from a number of sources to investigate the present state of alcohol-related crimes and their possible causes. At the end of the paper, recommendations and suggestions conclude the paper.
Alcohol-Related Crimes
It is only at present day context that alcohol and drug use is viewed as a social problem. It was not this way in the past. Different drugs have been used for medication since ancient times. However, in the nineteenth century they were seen as a problem and were condemned. Alcohol came to notice this very while (Bennett, and Holloway, 2005, pp. 15-16). There are number of crimes with which alcohol is seen associated. These crimes are, however, other than drink driving and drunkenness: two cases of offence in which excessive drinking is the crime. There is great public concern with regard to alcohol-related crimes. Roughly 70% of crime audits in England and Wales published in years 1998 and 1999 had the mention of alcohol as an issue in crimes, more importantly in the matters of public disorder. The term alcohol-related crime is usually used to refer to offences that involve a blend of offences of criminal damages, drunk and disorderly and other offences that are related to public order. The very term also involves young males who typically belong to an age group from 18 to 30 years of age. The third concept that stands with it is when there is offence and disorder in the areas of entertainment in towns and city centers. Apart from this, there are other areas in which offences and crimes are linked to alcohol but which do not necessarily fall in the context of the three conditions noted above. In the UK, the Police Superintendents have come to show their concerns related to alcohol-related crimes that at present half of all crimes occur just because there is alcohol involved. A 1990 study in the same country revealed that as the consumption of beer increased, it became the single most critical factor in explaining the growth in crimes. Furthermore, a huge volume of research indicates that massive numbers of victims of violent crimes are either drinking or found to be under the influence of alcohol while the assault happened. A very recent study conducted from April 2004 to March 2005 found that 37% of all offenders were found with a current problem with the use of alcohol; and that 37% (the equal proportion) were detected as with binge drinking problem; and that 47% of them had, in the past, misused alcohol; 32% showed violent behavior with relation to their use of alcohol; whereas 38% were detected to carry a criminogenic need which was related to misuse of alcohol, more likely to be related to their risk of being reconvicted. Research has also found that in three-quarters of domestic violence instances (73%) alcohol was consumed; it was a feature in 62% of the cases (almost two-thirds). Half of the offenders of domestic violence were dependent on alcohol. British Medical Association related that alcohol plays to be a factor in homicide cases from 60% to 70%; in stabbing it is 75%; in the cases of beatings it is 70%; domestic assaults and fights it is 50% (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2008).
All seen, what is worth mentioning is that in UK the whole picture is confusing due to inconsistent data relation in different domains and departments. For example, it is possible that police record may show a reduced number of cases whereas it is possible that the cases were more than the ones reported. In addition, police figures can also provide a false state of the direction of different trends in criminal activities. British Crime Survey is viewed to underestimate the number of criminal events taking place in reality. The reason is this survey excludes different crimes against youth who are under 16. However, the survey findings are full of incidents, criminal reports, evidence, and figures that a massive amount of crimes basically had the factor of alcohol in them. The following chart shows BCS survey findings from 1995 to 2006-7 about factor of alcohol in criminal attempts (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2008).
Alcohol and Crime in the U.S.
In the U.S. the picture is not any different from that of the UK though figures might vary. About 1/3 of the convicted criminals in the U.S. under supervision of correctional measures told that they were under alcoholic influence at the time of arrest. Surprisingly the alcohol factor is the cause of more crimes than all other drugs put together. From 1992 to 1995 out of eleven million people victimized in violence, 2.2 million had a perception that the criminals were under the influence of alcohol. Other figures that call for deeper probing and investigation with regard to crimes, offence, and violation and the use of alcohol by the offenders in the U.S. present an alarming situation. The particular area of trouble in the U.S., however, is domestic violence in which 2/3 of cases involve alcohol in violent victimization. Further, 3 quarters assault cases in spousal instances have alcohol as the basic factor. Drug and other factors are much less than what alcohol factor alone presents the situation to be. As such, concerns are being strongly raised with regard to domestic violence in the U.S. and their link with alcohol. Research suggests that in the U.S. 70% of the cases of offence that involved alcohol took place within a residence and 10% further cases took place in a restaurant or bar. Hence it is emphasized that strategy be built with relation to these particular settings and alcohol (Travis, 2000).
The situation in Austria presents a similar challenge for authorities when it comes to the factor of alcohol and criminal activities. According to recent research, (by Australian Centre for Policing Research and other departments) criminals especially juveniles who have drug use history regularly consume alcohol and other drugs. The factor of alcohol is very much manifest in detecting the crimes they committed (NSW Government, 2008).
Alcohol and Crime in Colleges
In the year 1995, there were reportedly 463,000 (31%) of cases that were related to the use of alcohol. However, 90% of these alcohol-related cases that involved college students took place off their campus. The very critical condition goes as follows:
Per capita arrest rates for alcoholic beverage law violations (including prohibited manufacture, sale or possession of alcohol and maintaining illegal drinking places but excluding public drunkenness and driving-related offenses) are highest at public, four-year colleges. Per capita arrest rates for alcoholic beverage law violations (including prohibited manufacture, sale or possession of alcohol and maintaining illegal drinking places but excluding public drunkenness and driving-related offenses) are highest at public, four-year colleges .
In addition, there are a number of both public and private universities where alcohol education programs have been given acute attention due to the increasing crime rate in relation to the use of alcohol. According to a survey, 59% of public sector universities in the U.S. and 43% of the private colleges in the same country conduct such programs to reduce the likelihood of the use of alcohol that is consequently seen to the catalyzer of crime (National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 1998).
Moreover, the U.S. Department of Justice Report on Alcohol and Crime came to a finding that the issue of alcohol as a factor in crime was 40% of violent criminal activities and offences attempted in the U.S. If we compare this present state of crime and alcohol use, we find that in 1983 the per capita arrest rate was almost 34% lower than what it is now in the country (Buddy, 2003).
Conclusion
In the above examination of cases, research findings, and surveys from three countries, i.e., the UK, the U.S. and Australia clearly show that there is dire link between violent crimes and offences and use of alcohol. The more important thing today, hence, is to seriously address this issue. The particular instances in which the alcohol-related crimes occur must study so that offenders and offenders-to-be can be oriented about the evils of alcohol and crimes committed under its influence. The governments of such countries must make sure that this factor is reduced in the future.
Works Cited
Bennett, T., & Holloway, K. (2005). Understanding drugs, alcohol and crime. Maidenhead: Open University Press, England, pp. 5-25.
NSW Government (2008). Alcohol related crime. Web.
National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, (1998). FYI: Alcohol and crime. 2008. Web.
Buddy, T (2003). Crime and alcohol: alcohol a factor in 40 percent of violent crimes. 2008. Web.
Travis, J. (2000). Alcohol and crime: new strategies for crime prevention. 2008. Web.
Institute of Alcohol Studies (2008). Alcohol and crime: IAS factsheets: Web.
Over time, advertisements on smoking and alcoholism have been carefully crafted to entice consumers. For instance, the three videos, Vintage Lucky Strike Cigarette Commercial, Channing Tatum in Mountain Dew Best Commercial Ever, and Thank You for Smoking, are advertising the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes attractively. These substances pose tremendous challenges to an individuals health, family, and attitude towards people.
Alcohol and smoking have changed the way people act, and this reflects the behaviors of all characters in the three videos. According to Vintage Lucky Strike Cigarette Commercial, smoking raises irritability and anxiety as evident among the characters. Moreover, the habit is costly to maintain as an addicted individual should purchase cigarettes daily. Thank You for Smoking also shows that nicotine, in cigarettes affects recognition as to some extent, the characters take a while before recognizing people. Channing Tatum in Mountain Dew Best Commercial Ever portrays the driver and his friends risking their lives by excessive consumption of alcohol. Their acts, for example, when Tatum forgets a soda he bought, reveal that the substance impairs memory. Indeed, alcohol and cigarette consumption pose behavioral, biological, and psychological impacts, which necessitate cessation.
The clips on smoking also reveal that the behavior is harmful to a childs development. In Thank You for Smoking, a fathers addiction to cigarettes has caused negative psychological impacts on his child, and one of the children says, do not ruin my childhood. Some children perceive that cigarettes can kill following their parents behaviors. As such, long-term consumption of this substance leads to loss of body weight, which is evident from all the characters who appear to have unhealthy body weights. Therefore, alcohol and cigarette consumption are life-threatening, apart from causing rejection from family members.
Conclusively, alcohol and cigarette consumption is accompanied by tremendous challenges. They drain users financially because they should maintain the habit daily due to addiction. The substances also have immense implications on the behavior and cognition of an individual. Additionally, users tend to lose weight and become irritable with time. Smokers and alcoholics also face rejection from their family members, apart from being forgetful. Indeed, none of these substances are good for human consumption and the user pays enormous prices, which include the challenges mentioned earlier. There is a choice to quit alcohol and cigarette consumption to live a healthy life and raise a safe generation.
There are two types of ways to enjoy alcohol, the first way is through social drinking. This is the kind of drink that one has with meals or at social functions. During the meal, wines are paired with the dishes for maximum flavoring effect. After dinner, there is a dessert wine served with the sweets. Drinking a glass of wine or a can or two of beer during a social event is acceptable and does not impair the physical ability and senses of a person. However, the other way of enjoying alcohol, the overboard, drink till one passes out kind of enjoyment is something that should very well be considered an addiction. Although medical studies suggest that regulated consumption of alcohol has its medical benefits, drinking to the point of addiction does nothing but harm a person physically, mentally, and socially. Once a person loses control of his alcohol intake and refuses to acknowledge it, he can be considered an alcoholic and in need of intervention or help. Teenagers are not exempted from alchololism, but, unlike the adult counterparts, they do not know how and where to seek help when they want to get over the addiction. This paper hopes to discuss what alcoholism is, how a person becomes an alcoholic, and finally, what resources are available for teenagers and adults alike who recognize they have a problem and want to be free of it.
Alcoholism is such a generic and vague definition of the problem. Historicaly, it is used to define the condition by with a person reacts to the more than natural intake of alcoholic beverages. The MedicineNet.com website defines alcoholism as a physical dependence on alcohol to the extent that stopping alcohol use will bring on withdrawal symptoms. In popular and therapeutic parlance, the term may also be used to refer to ingrained drinking habits that cause health or social problems. (MedicineNet.com, 1999).
However, people should not confuse alcoholism with the consistency by which a person partakes of alcoholic beverages. Simply put, a society cannot define every person who gulps down a can or two of beer or has a shot or two of Tequila as an alcoholic. The truth is that there are many medical factors to consider when trying to diagnose a person as an alcoholic. Alcohol tends to attack the brain, liver, and other organs of the body thus causing various health complications for the alcoholic. They tend to become delusional and distruful of others because the alcohol impairs their sense of logic. But, those signs may also be clues to other illnesses so it is important that we learn to differentiate between an alcoholic and the next person.
First of all, one has to realize and understand that most alcoholics are in denial of their condition and will never admit to having a problem with booze. That is why one should be mindful and on the look out for signs and symptoms of alcoholism once alcoholism is suspected. According to the Mayo Clinic, the American Psychiatric Association has developed a list of symptoms that can accurately determine if a person is alcoholic. Listed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, some of the symptoms to look out for can be charted as follows:
Symptom
Explanation
Tolerance
indicated by an increase in the amount of alcohol you need to feel intoxicated. As alcoholism progresses, the amount leading to intoxication can also decrease as a result of damage to your liver or central nervous system.
Withdrawal symptoms when you cut down or stop using alcohol. (tremors, insomnia, nausea and anxiety.
You may drink more alcohol in order to avoid those symptoms.
Drinking more alcohol or drinking over a longer period of time than you intended.
Persistently having a desire to cut down on your alcohol intake or making unsuccessful attempts to do so.
Spending a great deal of time obtaining, using, or recovering from alcohol use.
Giving up important social, occupational or recreational activities
Continuing to use alcohol even though you know its causing physical and psychological problems
Although alcohol dependent people display the same symptoms as alcohol abusers (known as alcoholics in general), alcohol abusers experience physical withdrawal symptoms that dependents do not display. While alcohol dependents need a reason to drink, an abuser just drinks because he wants to experience the high one gets from being drunk. He is still in control of his thoughts but not his physical faculties. Alcoholism is a major illness that causes a person to lose control of his life. It is a very gradual spiralling into darkness that the person does not even realize is happening to himself. This is why they refuse to admit they have a drinking problem and that is also why it is his peers who notice the problem and try to call his attention to the situation.
The medical professionals cannot really tell us what causes alcoholism although there are some sign and symptoms that could point to the potential causes of the illness depending upon the situation of a person. Most often, there is a history of alcoholism in the family and men seem to be more prone to it than women. We can also view the causes of alcoholism as somewhat related to genetics or the possibility that there was an alcoholic present in the household who was emulated by the person later on in life, emotional stress, psychological factors like low self esteem or depression, and social or cultural factors that make drinking excessively an acceptable part of life. There are also alcoholics who first used the drinking as an excuse to relieve themselves of anxiety, depression, tension, loneliness, self doubt, or unhappiness. No, it is not true that anybody can just stop once the addiction has started to get out of control. Serious medical and psychological interventions are often necessary before the problem results in life ending medical complications or accidents. Some of these interventions include.
The problem is even worse for teen-agers who are at that stage in their lives where peer pressure plays a significant role in their development as a person. It is during this time of experimentation and learning that they often lose their way and end up abusing alcohol just to fit in during parties and other social events. For them, alcohol is the same as using drugs. It causes a significant change in personalities and physical abilities of the teen. It causes a sanitizing effect that blurs his capability analyze situations and alters his perception and concentration. Alcoholism at such an early stage in life usually results in life altering predicaments that, once they have gotten over their addiction, they realize they are incapable of handling.
Teenagers who are experiencing social problems in school are often encouraged by non educated friends to experiment with alcohol in order to gain a sense of gurmption that allows them to do things they would not normally do if they were sober. For some teenagers who have low self esteem, drinking and eventually becoming an alcoholic only makes the problem worse as they undergo physical changes that make them even more unacceptable to their peers. Some of these changes include weight gain, bad breath, clumsiness, acne and pimples, or loss of self control.
Admittedly, the entertainment industry has caused alcohol consumption to come across as the cool thing for young people to be doing. That is one reason why underage drinking has become such a problem. Adults admittedly drink and keep alcohol in the house. Either a bottle of wine of a can of beer in the fridge. These serve to enhance the image of drinking in the eyes of the youth and only encourage them to try it out. Just like their television and movie counterparts. Due to the lack of alcohol information given by parents to their children, they usually end up drinking without realizing that the end results will always be adverse and there is nothing cool or hip about throwing up your guts into a trash can and then going back for more because you were pressured to do it.
Perhaps the best way to explain why these alcoholic beverages causes a different reaction in a teen agers body is thoroughly understanding the alcoholic content of various alcoholic beverages. According to the website FamilyDoctor.org, Beer usually contains 3% to 5% alcohol. Wine has 9% to 16%. Hard liquor usually contains the highest levels (up to 50%). All states consider an adult to be intoxicated, or drunk, at 0.08% blood level of alcohol. For a man who weighs 170 pounds, this might mean only 4 beers (12-ounce cans) on an empty stomach in an hour. For a woman who weighs 137 pounds, this might mean less than 3 beers in an hour. For people under 21, all states now have zero-tolerance laws, which means you are breaking the law if you drive with any alcohol in your system. (FamilyDoctor.org website, n.d.)
As you can see from the information supplied, there is no such thing as a harmless drink. Once a person ingests the beverage, it changes the body metabolism and impairs functions without exception.
Although alcoholism is considered an incurable disease at the moment, it is still treatable provided the alcoholic recognizes he has a problem and submits to treatment and constant supervision. Making the person realize he has a problem and his eventual acceptance that he has a problem, including his seeking of treatment is but the start of the healing process. Just like any addiction, an alcoholic can still fall off the wagon, more so for teen agers who get addicted while in high school.
For teenagers who are about to enter college and will be attending school far removed from the safety of home, they will be exposed to the dangers of the world without any parental supervision. In such situations, the person tends to become experimental and does not realize the pitfalls of his choices until it is too late. Alcoholism in this particular era of life is not uncommon because it becomes the release button for the stressed out minds and bodies of teenagers.
It is of the utmost importance that teenagers realize that the frat parties and clubbing they do without thinking about it could spell the difference between seeing their graduation day or saying goodbye to this world. Alcohol is an addictive drug and just like any drug, changes your personality and the way you perceive things. It makes you believe you can do things you could not do before, and you probably can. But with the side effect of slower reactions, confused thoughts, lack of concentration and coordination skills, and even loss of consciousness. Keeping that in mind, would you knowingly drink, get drunk, and drive yourself of a buddy home afterwards?
Let us look at the facts related to alcohol abuse and drunk driving. In the year 2000, the country spent about $114.3 billion dollars on alcohol related crashes (MADD, n.d.) 63% of the total crashes were alcohol related and with a drunken driver behind the wheel. As of the year 2006, there was a 36% rate of crashes with alcohol impaired drivers behind the wheel. Car crashes are the most common end result of alcohol abuse among teen agers and these crashes usually result in death or physical disabilities. No matter what articles I read, I have not come across any evidence that a person can actually have more heightened senses when driving under the influence of alcohol. DUI tests more often than not prove that the driver cannot even make his finger tips meet when asked to do so. So what point am I trying to make here? The point is that teenagers seem to have a sense of inviciblity. A belief that he or she is unbreakable and can survive anything and therefore can try anything. That is not the case when the alcohol ingested goes over the legal limit. The actual result of their actions can result in only one thing. A life altering accident.
If you have read this far into my paper, then that means that you are either very interested in the topic I am discussing, know a teenager or friend who might be an alcoholic, or, you are coming to terms with the fact that you are an alcoholic. You may find yourself asking So, what should I do if I think I or a person I know has an alcohol problem? Let me answer that. The next step is the hardest step you will ever have to take. You will have to make that person admit he has a problem, seek help, and complete the treatment. Or, if you are the alcoholic, you will have to accept the fact that you are one and commit yourself wholeheartedly to getting that life threatening vice under control or eliminated completely from your daily life. But how can you do all of this? Is is it even possible to seek proper help and treatment? What is the first step? Where do you go? The latter part of my research paper will now address those concerns and offer various avenues of treatment that can be done by anybody willing to go through the treatment process no matter how difficult it may get.
Once you have made the conscious decision to seek help in recovering from alcoholism, you have begun your first step towards recovery and improving your health. It is very important that you go to a family doctor to seek his treatment advice in order to receive the proper emotional support from him and your family during this trying time. There is also a possiblity of medical complications arising during the treatment so having constant medical supervision during this period is of the utmost importance to you. Some of the whithdrawal symptoms to expect during this time period are mood changes, such as irritability, anger, depression and anxiety, insomnia (problems sleeping) and problems with sexual function. (FamilyDoctor.org, December 2006).
Dealing successfully with the aforementioned symptoms will mean that you are on the road to recovery. But you cannot do this without the help of your family, friends, and doctor. Those who do not deal with the withdrawal period successfully usually return to the bottle.Withdrawal symptoms do not occur in people who practice social drinking. It only happens to people who have abused the bottle over a period of time and then suddenly stop. In such cases, the person will encounter the same symptoms each time he tries to stop drinking unscuccessfully. in order to get over this first hurdle, there has to be an open communication line between you and the doctor. Honesty is the only option if you want to successfully work together on your rcovery. Aside from the emotional support your doctor gives you, he can also opt to prescribe medications to help ease the withdrawal symptoms of shakiness, anxiety and confusion early in the withdrawal phase.
It is at this point in time when an alcoholic will need his family and friends to support him and keep him strong. The tendency to commit suicide due to the lack of alcohol is strong and there are times when the alcoholic may need to be put on a suicide watch for a period of time. Once the worst is over, it is important to sign up the person, together with a friend or family member for treatment programs or a sobriety program. The most popular of these is Alcoholics Anonymous.
Such support groups are meant to help ease the healing process and lead the alcoholic towards the realization of why he ended up at the place he found himself in. It is not a place where blame is laid out. There are no scapegoats allowed because nobody is ever turned into an alcoholic by anybody. It is a personal choice that was made and can only be ended by another personal choice. If anything, the group is meant to serve as your extended family support system. The Buddy System is meant to insure that one will never fall off the wagon because there will always be somebody there to back him up and stop him. AA, as it is more commly called, serves as an emotional support when your immediate family is out of reach. Everyone at AA is on equal footing and not one person is better or more recovered than the other. It is a family that does not judge the alcoholic but instead reinforces his desire to recover from alcoholism.
More importantly, we have to realize that the seeds of alcoholism are planted early on in a childs life. Admit it, we all grew up seeing our parents or some other family member having a social drink during family festivities or functions. As a child, we often wondered about the colored water and why they seemed to enjoy drinking it so much. Oftentimes, we would beg a family member to let us have a sip to no avail. Such situations strengthen a childs desire to taste alcohol when he comes of age and often times, it is this excitement at finally being able to get a taste of the forbidden drink that makes the teen ager go overboard when drinking. Therefore, effectively communicating the effects of alcohol on a person, as well as instilling safe drinking practices must be discussed and instilled within a person from childhood. The reality that most parents choose to ignore is that children will first try alcohol during their high school and college years. Maybe even earlier if you believe studies as indicated in the website FamilyDoctor.org that indicate 80% of high school kids have tried alcohol. (FamilyDoctor.org, 2008).
As a parent who practices responsible parenting, one must lead by example. the parents must realize that a child looks up to him as a role model. Therefore, if you want to avoid having a child with an alcohol abuse problem in the future, you should rethink how you enjoy alcohol in the presence of your child. An option would be to drink non alcoholic beverages at parties where your child is present in order to send the message that drinking alcohol is not necessary to have fun. More importantly, once a parent finds himself in a stressful situation, he must show the child that problems are solved by actively seeking solutions through dialogue and destressing by engaging in activities like sports or exercise, instead of hitting the bottle.
According to an article by Dr. Barbara P. Homeier entitled Kids and Alcohol , it is important for parents to clearly define what is expected of their teen age children when they reach a certain age. She specifically mentions a behavioral contract covering a teenagers drinking and driving. She explains that for teens, especially those old enough to drive, its a good idea to negotiate and sign a behavioral contract. This contract should spell out the way you expect your child to behave and state the consequences if your teen drives under the influence. Follow through and take the keys away, if necessary. (Homeier, B. Kids and Alcohol, 2005).
In the end, making sure our children will not become alcoholics in the future depends upon the foundation that we set for them as children. The importance of freedom with responsibility can be directly tied in to responsible drinking by implementing rules like losing family car priveleges if the child comes home smelling of alcohol or extending curfews if a child proves to be responsible enough to not drink and drive over time.
Work Cited
Alcoholics Anonymous. (2008). Information on A.A. Web.
familydoctor.org. (2006). Alcohol: What to do if its a problem for you. Web.
familydoctor.org (2006) Drinking and teens. Web.
Homeier, Barbara P. (2006). Kids and alcohol. Kids Health: Information For Parents. Web.
Healthology. (2008). Alcoholism: getting past the addiction. Web.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Statistics. 2008. Web.
MayoClinic.com. (2007). Alcoholism. 2008. Web.
MayoClinic.com. (2007). Alcoholism: causes. Web.
MayoClinic.com. (2007). Alcoholism: screening and diagnosis. Web.
MedicineNet.com. (2008). Definition of Alcoholism. Web.
MedicineNet.com. ( 2008). Alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Web.
Alcohol use disorder has a significant impact on the lives of people who suffer from it and their families. It can cause significant short- and long-term consequences, with approximately 88,000 people dying for alcohol-related causes annually in the United States (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2020). Globally, alcohol misuse is considered to be among the top five risk factors for premature death and disability among adults, and there are over 200 diseases to which alcohol use disorder contributes (NIAAA, 2020). Alcohol use disorder is often challenging to diagnose and treat as it progresses slowly from light, casual alcohol use to binge drinking or regular drinking.
In order to address the rising prevalence of alcohol use disorder, it is essential to apply a comprehensive population health strategy. Firstly, it is necessary to administer diagnostic tools to adults annually via their primary care providers. Secondly, risk factors for alcohol use disorder should be identified during patient examination and history assessment and recorded, and patients with multiple risk factors who drink alcohol regularly should be referred to mental health counseling.
Thirdly, cost-effective interventions should be researched and identified based on randomized controlled trials, which provide high-quality evidence. Primary care providers and social workers should also notify patients about various options for genetic counseling and interventions during routine visits. These steps would help to identify and treat alcohol use disorder in adult populations, thus reducing the burden of this disease.
Social workers play a vital role in addressing alcohol use disorder as they can identify people who are at risk of developing it or fit the diagnostic criteria already and refer them to mental health providers. For example, social workers can mark high-risk clients and share their concerns with primary care providers so that the patient could be assessed during their next visit. Additionally, social workers can identify clients who drink regularly during home visits and provide information about available interventions.
