Bringing together evidence, policy and practice to reduce alcohol harm
Health
How do economic crises impact levels of alcohol harm, and who is most affected?
Overall, evidence suggests that alcohol consumption falls during times of economic crises. However, population-level trends mask hidden pockets of risk amongst vulnerable groups.
Alcohol and the heart: friend or foe?
Observational studies and Mendelian Randomisation show conflicting associations between alcohol and coronary heart disease. In this blog, the authors discuss these differences, and what the...
Making the wine duty ‘easement’ permanent would negate the public health objective of the duty reform
What is the wine duty easement, why is the wine industry lobbying to make it permanent, and why would that be bad for public health?
Alcohol labelling must be part of a ‘manifesto for cancer prevention’
A survey by CancerWatch suggests that cancer charities focus too much on treatment and diagnosis, with a lack of attention on preventing cancer in the...
Is a little bit of alcohol really good for us?: What we have learned from better-designed studies
Causal understanding of alcohol and health effects has improved markedly in recent years. A recent critical review looked at better-designed studies to understand whether light...
Rethinking “Justice”: Racial Inequity in Justice-Involved Alcohol Treatment in the United States
Although referral to alcohol treatment via the criminal legal system can lead to greater completion among some groups, there is significant inequity in both who...
The Sick-Quitter Effect: Alcohol-related death has been underestimated over the last 30 years
The findings of observational studies on alcohol are often affected by the 'sick quitter effect' - where those who have stopped drinking due to health...
Saving Lives and Money: A Call for a €1 Minimum Unit Price for Alcohol to Prevent Chronic Liver Disease
How would a €1 minimum unit price reduce liver disease and liver cancer in France, The Netherlands, and Romania?
Beyond Abstinence: Can reducing drinking reduce alcohol craving?
Reducing alcohol consumption, even short of complete abstinence, during treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with lower craving levels, leading to improvements in...
The views of alcohol frequent attenders at a general hospital in Scotland: a qualitative study
Ken Barrie outlines the findings from recent research with people who are repeatedly hospitalised due to alcohol. Key themes that arose from the interviews conducted...
What really are ‘alcohol problems’, and why does it matter?
There is a discrepancy between public beliefs of alcohol problems, dominated by the concept of "alcoholism", and scientific conceptualisations such as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)....
Alcohol Care Teams – what are the benefits to patient care in hospitals?
Alcohol Care Teams are dedicated teams within inpatient settings, which support patients drinking at harmful levels. Carol Appleyard works within one. Here she explains how...
Acceptable, accessible and affordable – but at what cost?
Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Gateshead, discusses why it is becoming increasingly important to implement evidence-based policies to reduce alcohol consumption and harm.
Seeking ‘honest’ conversations online: how is alcohol and pregnancy talked about on Mumsnet?
How do people posting on Mumsnet discuss the risk of alcohol and pregnancy? Dr Lisa Schölin and Rachel Arkell analysed such discussions to understand what...
Readiness to Change? Post-Pandemic Practice Pressures and Alcohol Related Brain Damage
Alcohol related brain damage is an under-recognised and understood impairment. Dr Darren Quelch explains the issues around the subject, including the stigma some patients experience...
Is a little bit of alcohol good for you?
Mendelian randomisation allows researchers to better understand the health outcomes of different levels of alcohol consumption. Using this method shows that it is very unlikely...
Unveiling the hidden health hazards of alcohol use
A new study has found associations between alcohol and 33 diseases not previously established by the WHO to be alcohol-related. Here the authors explain their...
No significant health benefits from drinking up to three units of alcohol a day
In recent years, research about the supposed health benefits of moderate alcohol has improved significantly, with recent meta-analyses showing no benefit. This blog explains the...
Public awareness of the relationship between alcohol use and breast cancer risk
7% of breast cancer cases are attributable to alcohol consumption, yet public awareness of the link is very low. This study looked at how awareness...
At what cost? The economic impact of alcohol-related cancer deaths
Around €4.6 billion was lost due to deaths from cancer caused by drinking alcohol in 31 European countries in 2018. Dr Rumgay explains her study's...
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