alcohol

Question 1

when is london’s intake of alcohol worst

Answer 1

London’s intake of this country’s most harmful drug is boosted in December when British people drink 41% more alcohol than other months of the year.

Question 2

what headline about alcohol has recently been in the news

Answer 2

Smokers and problem drinkers who are admitted to hospital in England will be given help to quit or cut down, to reduce demands on the health service.

The measures are part of a long-term plan to be announced over the next few days by NHS England.

It said addiction to alcohol and tobacco were two of the biggest causes of ill health and early death.

And the right support could save lives and help people stay fitter for longer.

Health charity Ash said it was delighted by the plans and Public Health England called the move “smart”, saying it would save thousands of lives and help the NHS survive into the future.

Question 3

how much does alcohol-related harm cost the nhs each year

Answer 3

Alcohol-related harm costs the NHS in England around £3.5bn each year

Question 4

how much have admissions to hospitals from alcohol-related harm increased in the past decade and what percentage of the total number of admissions do they represent now

Answer 4

Admissions to hospitals have increased by 17% in the past decade to just over 2% of the total number.

Question 5

what do specialist alcohol care teams do and where are these schemes running

Answer 5

The teams offer specialist help to patients on how to give up drinking and support to stay off it, which includes written advice, as well as counselling.

Question 6

what has the use of specialist alcohol care teams done

Answer 6

The use of specialist Alcohol Care Teams has seen a significant reduction in A&E attendances, ambulance callouts and readmissions.

Question 7

where does the specialist alcohol care team scheme run

Answer 7

That scheme is already running in Bolton, Salford, Nottingham, Liverpool, London and Portsmouth.
It will now be expanded to 50 hospitals with the highest number of alcohol-related admissions across the country.

Question 8

what will happen to smokers admitted to hospital

Answer 8

And every smoker admitted to hospital - around half a million people a year - will be offered specialised support to quit. This includes pregnant women and their partners

Question 9

what percentage of women in england are still smoking when their baby is born, and what effect can this have on the pregnancy

Answer 9

Recent figures show that 10% of women in England are still smoking when their baby is born, which can double the risk of stillbirth and increase the risk of miscarriage.

Question 10

where will be given priority in helping pregnant women quit smoking over the next five years

Answer 10

Areas of particular need, such as Blackpool where one in five pregnant women smokes, will be given priority over the next five years, NHS England says.

Question 11

how many alcohol-specific deaths were there in 2016

Answer 11

5,507 alcohol-specific deaths in 2016,
4% higher than 2015 and an increase of
11% on 2006.

Question 12

what age had the most number of alcohol-related hospital admissions

Answer 12

39% of patients were aged between 45 and 64.

Question 13

what gender had the most number of alcohol-related hospital admissions

Answer 13

In total, 62% of the patients were male.

Question 14

give figures on the alcohol-related hospital admissions by diagnosis

Answer 14

Almost a quarter of admissions were for cancer.

22% were for unintentional injuries.

Question 15

alcohol specific deaths by age

Answer 15

The number of deaths increases with age up to 50-59 and then decreases.
57% of deaths were in the age range 50-69.

Question 16

alcohol specific deaths by gender

Answer 16

Just over twice as many men died as women.

In total 67% of the deaths were for men.

Question 17

give figures on the conditions that caused the alcohol-specific deaths

Answer 17

Alcoholic liver disease accounted for 82% of the 5,507 alcohol-specific deaths. A further
8% were from mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of alcohol.

Question 18

how can alcohol affect your weight

Answer 18

Alcoholic drinks contain a high number of calories, which can impact your weight. Fat, especially on men, tends to go to the belly and belly fat is more dangerous than other fats. It can can squeeze your organs, it can also release harmful chemicals into your blood and this can lead to cardio vascular disease, diabetes and even dementia

Question 19

how can alcohol affect your mental health

Answer 19

From anxiety to stress, alcohol can have negative effects on your mental health. Too much alcohol can change your brain’s ability to stay balanced and run smoothly. The more you drink the more your brain is affected, making you nervous and low. It can also stop you from sleeping properly, leaving you sluggish and irritable.

Question 20

how can alcohol affect your heart

Answer 20

Regularly having just a couple of pints of lager can weaken your heart and shrink your arteries. This makes it harder for blood to be pumped and pass through, which increases your blood pressure. That same pressure can lead to blood clots - which can cause strokes and brain damage

Question 21

figures on alcohol and liver disease

Answer 21

Overall, alcohol-related liver disease accounts for well over a third (37%) of liver disease deaths. And figures show victims of liver disease are getting younger – more than one in 10 of deaths of people in their 40s are from liver disease, most of them from alcohol-related liver disease

Question 22

how does alcohol affect the liver

Answer 22

Chronic alcohol abuse causes destruction of liver cells, which results in scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), alcoholic hepatitis and cellular mutation that may lead to liver cancer.