Introduction
Content last reviewed: 12 April 2016
- The impact of alcohol misuse is widespread encompassing alcohol related harm and injuries as well as the social impacts of crime and violence, loss of workplace activity and teenage pregnancy
- As alcohol has become more affordable, consumption has increased
- The number of hospital admissions for alcohol related disease in people under 30 has risen dramatically in the last decade. There was a 117 per cent increase in admissions for under 30’s in England between 2002-2012. The total number of admissions across all ages rose from 25,706 in 2002/03 to 49,456 in 2011/12 – a 92% increase. Admissions for women have increased by 91%
- The number of hospital admissions for alcohol related disease in people of all ages (using Public Health England (PHE) broad definition has increased from 2,960 in 2008/09 to 4,247 in 2012/13, an increase of 43.5% (source: LAPE). The age standardised rate for admissions has increased Central Bedfordshire’s rate (1,754 per 100,000) is still lower than England (2,032) East Anglia (1,776) and South Midlands and Hertfordshire (1,775).
- Hospital admissions for people aged less than 18 have decreased from 59 in 2006/07 to 2008/09 to 41 in 2010/11 to 2012/13, a 30.1% decrease (source: LAPE). The crude rate for Central Bedfordshire (24.2 per 100,000) is lower than England (44.9), East Anglia (27.9) and South Midlands and Hertfordshire (24.8).
- Home consumption of alcohol has increased by 45% compared with 1992 (Harker, 2012)
- Research by Drink Aware found that the average person goes to work suffering from the affects of alcohol three times a month
- There has been a marked increase in alcohol consumption by the middle and older age groups
- Alcohol misuse can be linked to a range of behaviours that may put a young person at risk of unsafe sex, violence and other criminal behaviours
- Alcohol is by far the most universally used substance. It is more harmful than heroin and crack when the overall danger to individual and society are considered
- Regularly drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing hypertension. People are more likely to develop hypertension after having just one drink a day, and drinking two or three increases the risk substantially. More than three alcoholic drinks a day can increase the chance of developing hypertension in later life by up to 75%. (Alcohol Concern, 2015)
- 4% of cancers in UK are directly attributable to alcohol (Alcohol Concern, 2015)
Last updated Friday, 20th July 2018