Mapping the Social Consequences of Alcohol Consumption

Transcription

1 Mapping the Social Consequences of Alcohol Consumption

2 Mapping the Social Consequences of Alcohol Consumption Edited by Harald Klingemann Institute for Social Planning and Social Management, University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland and Gerhard Gmel Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems Lausanne, Switzerland Published on behalf of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe by Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.Y.

3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available. ISBN ISBN (ebook) DOI / The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s)/contributors and do not necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the World Health Organization. Prillted OII acid-free paper AII Rights Reserved 2001 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally published by WorId Health Organization in 2001 Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 2001 No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permis sion from the copyright owner.

4 Contents List of contributors IX Introduction: Social consequences of alcohol - the forgotten dimension? H. Klingemann and G. Gmel 1. Concepts, dimensions and measures of alcohol-related social consequences - A basic framework for alcohol-related benefits and harm J. Rehm 11 Measurement issues 15 References What is meant by 'alcohol-related' consequences? K. Pernanen 21 Alcohol-relatedness: coincidence, common etiology and causality 21 Social-science and natural-science processes and consequences 22 Establishing a causal relationship 24 An alcohol-free society 25 Determining social consequences 27 Multiple causal determination 28 References Alcohol consumption and social harm: quantitative research methodology G. Gmel and E. Gutjahr 33 Assessment of outcome 34 Assessment of exposure 40 Covariates: confounding and control variables 41 Study design 42 v

5 vi Contents Some less-known designs for investigation of alcoholrelated social harm 44 Conclusions 47 References Consequences of drinking to friends and the close social environment K. Pernanen 53 Friends, social environment 53 Concluding remarks 62 References The impact of alcohol consumption on work and education J. Rehm and I. Rossow 67 Work 67 Alcohol and absenteeism 68 Alcohol-related work problems other than absenteeism 70 Interaction of alcohol consumption with other factors 70 Drinking patterns associated with workplace problems 71 Education 71 References Problem drinking and relatives E.Mafflj 79 Introduction 79 Consequences for children 80 Consequences for the spouse/partner 84 Conclusion 86 References Accidents, suicide and violence I. Rossow, K. Pernanen and J. Rehm 93 Introduction 93 Alcohol and external trauma 94 Alcohol and accidents 95 Suicide and parasuicide 98 Alcohol and violence 100 Disability and mortality 104 Summary and implications 105 References 107

6 Contents vii 8. Public order and safety H. Klingernann 113 The role of alcohol in crime: police and the criminal justice system as guardians of 'the public order' 114 Compulsory treatment and 'danger to the public': treatment and criminal justice cooperating in the interests of the public order 115 The impact of alcohol consumption on the physical and social environment, and communal/municipal authorities as representatives of the public order 117 Alcohol consumption as part of deviant life-styles? Skid rows and the homeless: welfare agencies, social work and neighbourhoods with vested interests in public order 119 Drinking and occupational careers: conflicts at the work-site and discrimination in the labour market 120 Public order and cultural aspects: social climate and level of tolerance 121 Symbolic public display and potential offence to onlookers of alcohol as a commodity: moral crusaders defending the public order or controlling the poor? 124 Drinking and alcohol in youth subcultures: youth and alcohol in conflict with the dominant culture (controlling youth) 125 Hooliganism - 'episodic' antisocial delinquent behaviour: social workers, politicians and the public as guardians of 'the public order' 126 Concluding remarks: implications for policy makers 127 References The social costs of alcohol consumption E. Gutjahr and G. Grnel 133 What constitutes social costs and how they are estimated 133 Recent European and non-european cost estimates 135 Policy implications 140 References Harm minimization M. Plant 145 Introduction: What is 'harm minimization'? 145 Education 147 Community action 148 Safer drinking places 151 Labelling to warn and inform 152

7 viii Contents Treatment Sustainability Structural control policies Conclusion References 11. Community initiatives as strategies for implementation of the European Alcohol Action Plan M. Holmila Introduction Examples of reported European projects The Lahti project The Florence Community Alcohol Research project The Kirseberg project The Malczyce Community Action project in Poland The Stad project in Stockholm, Sweden Lessons learned References

8 Contributors Gmel. Gerhard Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems. Lausanne. Switzerland Gutjahr. Elisabeth Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems. Lausanne. Switzerland Holmila. Marja Social Research Unit for Alcohol Studies. STAKES. Helsinki. Finland Klingemann. Harald Institute for Social Planning and Social Management. University of Applied Sciences. Bern. Switzerland Maffli. Etienne Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems. Lausanne. Switzerland Pemanen. Kai National Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Oslo. Norway Plant, Martin Alcohol and Health Research Centre, City Hospital. Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom Relzm, lurgen Addiction Research Institute, Zurich. Switzerland RossoII', Ingeborg National Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Oslo. Norway IX