A new study found that alcohol’s second hand harms have been under reported. Researchers reported about 8,750 adult men and women who they assessed in 2015 and questioned about incidences in the previous year. The researchers wanted to know the effects of the participants by the behavior of alcoholics. The CNN report is based on the original paper, which was published on June 30, 2019.
The types of harm that scientists wanted to know about were: feeling threats or being afraid; harassment; vandalism of property; seeing the destruction of belongings; being pushed, hit or assaulted; being physically harmed; getting into a traffic accident; be a co-driving passenger in a vehicle with a drunk driver; having financial trouble and having family or marital problems.
At least 21% of women and 23% of men reported that one or more of these items had affected them in the previous year.
Further details about the study regarding alcohol’s second hand harms
Firstly, women were more likely to report about family and marital problems. Secondly, women reported financial problems and third driving-related harms. All this was because of someone else’s drinking. Men reported harassment, driving-related harms, property damage and vandalism.
Women were more likely to report their spouse, partner or close family member who have been drinking. Men on the other hand reported harm that came from a stranger’s drinking.
The study had some limitations. First of all, the study is based on self-reporting. There could be bias, as people may not recall accurately what happened. Secondly, one of the limits of the study was confining it to the year 2014 and 2015, the years of the data collection. Future studies need to show that similar findings can be reproduced for other years.
Younger adults and alcohol’s second hand harms
The younger generation from age 18 to 25 had the highest rate of alcoholism. The study showed that the same age group of 18 to 25 was that suffered with regard to alcohol’s second hand harms.
Dr. Timothy Naimi, a physician and alcohol epidemiologist at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts wrote an editorial going along with the study. He mentioned in it that due to underreporting the real numbers of alcohol’s second hand harms are likely much higher. He also noted that this area of research is still in its infancy and that it is important that public health policies address excessive drinking.
Alcohol’s Second Hand Harms
Conclusion
Alcohol’s second hand harms were at the center of this study. Women were more likely to report about family and marital problems, financial problems and driving-related harms. All this was because of someone else’s drinking. Men reported harassment, driving-related harms, property damage and vandalism. The younger generation from age 18 to 25 had the highest rate of alcoholism. The study showed that the same age group of 18 to 25 was also the one that suffered with regard to alcohol’s second hand harms. Overall it is important that public health officials start measures to target excessive drinking. It is excessive drinking to which most alcohol’s second hand harms link.
