Alcohol as a Public Health Problem

Question 1

State some long-term health risks associated with alcohol misuse

Answer 1

High blood pressure
Stroke
Pancreatitis
Liver disease

Depression
Dementia

Sexual Problems - impotence/ premature ejaculation

Infertility

Question 2

State some cancers associated with alcohol misuse

Answer 2

Liver cancer
Mouth cancer
Head and Neck cancer
Breast cancer
Bowel cancer

Question 3

State some long-term social implications of alcohol misuse

Answer 3

Family break-up and divorce
Domestic abuse
Unemployment
Homelessness
Financial Problems

Question 4

What is a public health problem ?

Answer 4

A public health problem, largely refers to a health issue that affects a significant portion of the population, impacting not just individuals but communities and the society at large.

Question 5

State some public health problems

Answer 5

Infectious diseases
Chronic conditions
Mental health issues
Environmental health risks

Question 6

What is the UK’s public health landscape shaped by ?

Answer 6

A combination of factors, including demographic changes, lifestyle choices, socio-economic conditions, and environmental factors.

Question 7

What does addressing public health problems involve ?

Answer 7

A multidisciplinary team approach, that includes prevention, early intervention, treatment, and policy-making efforts aimed at improving health outcomes for the population.

Question 8

State some key entities involved in tackling public health problems

Answer 8

NHS
Local Authorities
Various Non-Governmental organisations

Question 9

State some major public health challenges in the UK

Answer 9

Obesity
Smoking
Alcohol Consumption
Air Pollution

Management and Response to COVID-19

Question 10

What is epidemiology ?

Answer 10

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease)

Question 11

Features of epidemiology

Answer 11

Time - When ? Over what time ?
Person - Who does it affect ?
Place - Where does it happen ?

Question 12

Alcohol Guidelines

Answer 12

It is recommended not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week.

Question 13

On average how many units of alcohol do men drink a week ?

Answer 13

14.8 units

Question 14

On average how many units of alcohol do women drink a week ?

Answer 14

8.0 units

Question 15

Statistics regarding alcohol intake

Answer 15

Around 1 in 4 people drink at hazardous or harmful levels (>14 units)

Drinking >14 units a week was reported by 31% of men and 16% of women.

16% of people say they are non-drinkers

Question 16

Describe Alcoholic Liver Disease in Scotland and UK

Answer 16

IN Scotland and UK, mortality and morbidity associated with liver disease are trending upwards, predicting a significant burden of poor health and rising demands of the NHS.

Question 17

Relationship between obesity and liver disease

Answer 17

Consistent relationship between socioeconomic deprivation, obesity and liver disease.

Highest areas of deprivation, has highest rates of liver disease due to alcoholic liver disease.

Question 18

What are alcohol related pathologies linked to ?

Answer 18

Can affect any organ in the body, but on a global scale most prevalent disease category is linked to neuropsychiatric disorders - Parkinson’s, MS, bipolar etc.

Question 19

State some wider impacts of excessive intake

effect on NHS

Answer 19

Significant health issues
Costs the NHS approx £3.6 billion a year

16% of ambulance calls in 2019 in Scotland were alcohol related.

Question 20

Solution of alcohol misuse

Answer 20

Prevention
Health promotion

Question 21

What is prevention ?

Answer 21

Prevention plays a central role in public health, aiming to reduce the incidence, impact, the spread of diseases and health conditions before they occur

Question 22

State the role of prevention

Answer 22

Looking at upstream, preventative aspects - things that happen in the community. The ways in which people are living.

Question 23

Downstream

Answer 23

Clinical care - individual impact

Question 24

Midstream

Answer 24

Individual Social Needs

Question 25

Evidence of prevention in public health

Answer 25

Evidence for social return Evidence on mental and well-being outcomes There is a paradigm shift from 'reactive services' to 'prevention'.

Question 26

Social Return

Answer 26

A way of measuring the cost of prevention

Question 27

What is public health up against ?

Answer 27

Alcohol market Advertisment Funding / resources ? Awareness and Perception

Question 28

How to calculate units ?

Answer 28

strength (ABV) x volume (ml) ÷ 1,000 = units

Question 29

14 units equivalent

Answer 29

6 Pints of beer OR 6 Glasses of wine OR 7 double measures of spirits

Question 30

MUP

Answer 30

Minimum Unit Pricing

Question 31

What is MUP ?

Answer 31

The MUP for alcohol is a significant piece of legislation in Scottish Law, aimed at tackling the country's public health problem related to excessive alcohol consumption.

Question 32

What does the Scottish Law around MUP do ?

Answer 32

Enacted on May 1, 2018 the Law sets a floor price for a unit of alcohol, making it illegal to sell alcoholic beverages below a minimum price per unit of alcohol content.

Question 33

Primary Objective of Scottish law and alcohol

Answer 33

Reduce alcohol-related harm by targeting cheaper alcohol, which is often consumed in harmful quantities.

Question 34

Evaluation of MUP

Answer 34

Initial evaluations of the impact of MUP have been positive, indicating a reduction in alcohol consumption levels in Scotland.

Question 35

Studies evaluating MUP

Answer 35

Studies suggest that there has been a decrease in the purchase of alcohol, particularly of high strength, low cost beverages that are most affected by the policy.

Question 36

Why is learning about alcohol misuse important ?

Answer 36

Being a good clinician means adopting a holistic approach. Acknowledging that alcohol misuse and alcoholism (addiction) will require a multifaceted approach.