Summary: The Consequences Of Binge Drinking

Alcohol use, and its consequences, is something that as a nation we have become numb to by overlooking and dismissing alcohol consumption and its repercussions. In past years, approximately 22 million Americans suffered from a substance or alcohol abuse problem. Increasing public awareness of help for addict’s by advertising prevention to help minimize alcohol use. Healthy People 2020 focuses on prevention, safety and quality of life (CDC). Drinking alcohol can cause many risks factors for men and women. Binge drinking is approximately five drinks for a male and four drinks for a female. Binge drinking is the most dangerous and can cause cancer, injuries, violence, and liver disease. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is focused on preventing

Alcohol-related mortality is studied more than alcohol-related morbidity (Rehm, Gmel, Sempos, & Trevisan, 2003). According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 88,000 men and women die each year from an alcohol related cause (2015). It is also noted that alcohol related deaths is the third largest preventable killer in the United States (NIAAA, 2015). Not only does alcohol-related deaths effect the U.S., but globally, in 2013, 5.9% deaths are caused by alcohol consumption (NIAAA, 2015). However, alcohol-related disability statistics are just as devastating as the mortality statistics. Recording alcohol-related disabilities can be more challenging than mortality rates. Some findings from a previous global study regarding disability and mortality were that, “1.5 percent of all deaths were attributable to alcohol, but 6 percent of all life years lost to disability were attributable to alcohol” (Rehm et al., 2003). Disabilities caused by alcohol consumption are serious enough to reduce an individual’s life span. In Virginia, the total of individuals (18 years old or older) binge drinking is 1,168, 494, individuals from

Determinants can be biological, behavioral, environmental, social, cultural, or economical. Some potential direct factors are genetics, past addictions in the family, current addictions, the environment/community which the individual lives in, job status, finances, marital status, ability to have children, family status, social status, mental/emotional health, religion, or ethnicity. Indirect factors could be peer pressure, accessibility to alcohol, lack of education, financial hardships, relationship troubles, deaths in the family, cultural beliefs/traditions, religious beliefs/traditions, or family traditions/celebrations. All these factors deal either directly or indirectly with an individual’s use of