Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Second-Hand Drinking As Bad As Second-Hand Smoke

Darpan News Desk IANS, 02 Jul, 2019 08:29 PM

    Just like second-hand smoking, society needs to combat the second-hand effects of drinking as millions of people are suffering alcohol's harm because of someone else's drinking, warn a study led by an Indian-origin scientist.


    An analysis of US national survey data showed that some 21 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men -- an estimated 53 million adults -- experienced harm because of someone else's drinking in the last 12 months.


    These harms could be threats or harassment, ruined property or vandalism, physical aggression, harms related to driving or financial or family problems.


    The most common harm was threats or harassment, reported by 16 per cent of survey respondents, said researchers led by Madhabika B. Nayak of the Alcohol Research Group, a programme of the Public Health Institute in Oakland, California.


    The specific types of harm experienced differed by gender. Women were more likely to report financial and family problems, whereas ruined property, vandalism and physical aggression were more likely to be reported by men.


    There is "considerable risk for women from heavy, often male, drinkers in the household and, for men, from drinkers outside their family," wrote the authors in a paper published in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.


    Additional factors, including age and the person's own drinking, were also important.


    People younger than age 25 had a higher risk of experiencing harm from someone else's drinking.


    Further, almost half of men and women who themselves were heavy drinkers said they had been harmed by someone else's drinking.


    Even people who drank but not heavily were at two to three times the risk of harassment, threats and driving-related harm compared with abstainers.


    "Control policies, such as alcohol pricing, taxation, reduced availability, and restricting advertising, may be the most effective ways to reduce not only alcohol consumption but also alcohol's harm to persons other than the drinker," said Nayak.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    'Jogging Without Prior Exercise Damages Knees'

    'Jogging Without Prior Exercise Damages Knees'
    Jogging without any proper prior exercise or knee activity can damage the knee joints requiring them a long duration for recovery, said joint replacement experts.

    'Jogging Without Prior Exercise Damages Knees'

    Health Officials To Study Cocaine-Related Heart Attacks In People Under 35

    Cardiologist Sean Connors says staff at Eastern Health have started a study to examine cocaine-related heart attacks in the region.

    Health Officials To Study Cocaine-Related Heart Attacks In People Under 35

    Beware! Loneliness Can Lead To Stroke

    Beware! Loneliness Can Lead To Stroke
    The findings showed that loneliness and social isolation was associated with a 29 percent increased risk of a heart or angina attack and a 32 percent heightened risk of having a stroke.

    Beware! Loneliness Can Lead To Stroke

    Still Many Questions About Zika's Threat To Pregnant Women

    Still Many Questions About Zika's Threat To Pregnant Women
    WASHINGTON — Zika may stand convicted of causing devastating birth defects but there still are lots of questions about how much of a threat the virus poses to pregnant women, and what to do about it.

    Still Many Questions About Zika's Threat To Pregnant Women

    Delhi Government Bans All Forms Of Chewing Tobacco

    Delhi Government Bans All Forms Of Chewing Tobacco
    The Delhi government ordered the prohibition of the sale, purchase and possession of all forms of chewable tobacco, saying violators can be imprisoned for up to six months and fined up to 300,000 rupees ($4,500).

    Delhi Government Bans All Forms Of Chewing Tobacco

    How Does HIV Virus Evades Immune System

    How Does HIV Virus Evades Immune System
    Scientists have identified a human (host) protein that weakens the immune response to HIV and other viruses.

    How Does HIV Virus Evades Immune System