There are gender differences in alcohol-related mortality and morbidity, as well as levels and patterns of alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption can have an impact not only on the incidence of diseases, injuries and other health conditions, but also on their outcomes and how these evolve over time. The context of drinking plays an important role in the occurrence of alcohol-related harm, particularly as a result of alcohol intoxication. The impact of alcohol consumption on chronic and acute health outcomes is largely determined by the total volume of alcohol consumed and the pattern of drinking, particularly those patterns which are associated with episodes of heavy drinking. Poorer individuals experience greater health and social harms from alcohol consumption than more affluent individuals. Although there is no single risk factor that is dominant, the more vulnerabilities a person has, the more likely the person is to develop alcohol-related problems as a result of alcohol consumption. Individual factors include age, gender, family circumstances and socio-economic status. Adverse health impacts and social harm from a given level and pattern of drinking are greater for poorer societies. Societal factors include level of economic development, culture, social norms, availability of alcohol, and implementation and enforcement of alcohol policies. Factors affecting alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harmĪ variety of factors which affect the levels and patterns of alcohol consumption and the magnitude of alcohol-related problems in populations have been identified at individual and societal levels. Fatal alcohol-related injuries tend to occur in relatively younger age groups.Ī causal relationship has been established between harmful drinking and incidence or outcomes of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV.Īlcohol consumption by an expectant mother may cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and pre-term birth complications. Drinking alcohol is associated with a risk of developing health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders, including alcohol dependence, and major noncommunicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers and cardiovascular diseases.Ī significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption arises from unintentional and intentional injuries, including those due to road traffic crashes, violence, and suicide. The harmful use of alcohol can also result in harm to other people, such as family members, friends, co-workers and strangers.Īlcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions. The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences.

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries.

Alcoholic