Alcoholism

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries. The harmful use of alcohol causes a large disease, social and economic burden in societies.  Key facts as enumerated by WHO, are as follows:-

• Worldwide, 3.3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol, this represent 5.9 % of all deaths.
• The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions.
• Overall 5.1 % of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability- adjusted life years (DALYs).
• Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. In the age group 20 – 39 years approximately 25 % of the total deaths are alcohol-attributable.
• There is a causal relationship between harmful use of alcohol and a range of mental and behavioral disorders, other noncommunicable conditions as well as injuries.
• The latest causal relationships have been established between harmful drinking and incidence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis as well as the course of HIV/AIDS.
• Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large.