Alcoholics are missing out on vital treatment
JUST 10 PER CENT GET HELP FOR PROBLEM
THE number of people receiving treatment for alcohol dependency in Ireland is considerably less than the number of people with drink problems, according to the findings of new research.
A study by the Health Research Board said the rate of admissions of people for treatment for their alcohol problems was “sub- optimal” given the high level of alcohol consumption and alcohol dependence.
It is estimated that 690 out of every 100,000 people need treatment for their alcohol dependency each year based on evidence which indicates that around 10 per cent of those with an alcohol problem will seek help in any given year.
However, an analysis of over 44,000 people aged18to64yearswhoweretreatedfor alcohol use disorder (AUD) between 2015 and 2019 show that the national treatment ra te was 270 cases per 100,000 population.
“If the population prevalence of alcohol dependence is correct, these findings suggest that only two to three per cent of those with dependence are entering treatment each year,” the study noted.
ADDICTION: Drinking booze
Efforts
It ad d e d : “Efforts must be undertaken to better understand this service failure.”
It also revealed widely varying treatment rates in different parts of the country — with a fivefold difference between the highest and lowest rates.
The highest rate was in Waterford at 633 cases per 100,000 population with more than 500 cases in Donegal and Sligo.
The lowest rate was in Meath at 119 cases per 100,000 — less than half the national rate — while the rate was also below 150 cases per 100,000 in Roscommon, Mayo and Kildare.
The study’s lead researcher, Anne Marie Carew, said the number of treatment places available was not the sole reason for the comparatively low uptake of treatment services in Ireland.
“There are known issues with people recognising that they have a problem with alcohol. Among those who do recognise that they have a problem, they can often experience barriers and obstacles around seeking treatment,” said
Dr Carew.
The r eport stated: “There are substantial benefits t o routine alcohol screening, early intervention and referral to treatment.”
It noted that alcohol treatment is proven to be effective in reducing harms as well as being cost- effective.
Among health problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption are liver cirrhosis, various types of cancer, increased likelihood of drink driving, intentional selfharm, injury and risky sexual behaviour.
Adults
The most recently available figures estimate that almost seven in every 100 Ir i sh adul t s ar e alcohol- dependent.
The report acknowledged that many people with AUD fail to recognise their drinking as problematic — with one previous Irish study showing that just 16 per cent of dependent drinkers recognised that they were drinking heavily.
In addition, it s aid many Irish drinkers have a poor understanding of low-risk drinking patterns.
The analysis of people who accessed treatment over a five-year period showed just over two-thirds were male. Almost a quarter of all patients had ceased their education before their 16th birthday while unemployment was common.
Two-fifths had self-referred themselves for treatment, while almost 12 per cent were referred to treatment by family or friends.
The median age at which all those in treatment had started drinking was 15 years, which the report said highlighted the need for supports to delay the initiation of drinking.
THE map below illustrates the total alcohol per capita consumption in Europe in 2018, the most recent year for which figures are available.
It is defined as the total amount of alcohol consumed per person (15 years of age or older) over a calendar year, in litres of pure alcohol, adjusted for tourist consumption.
Country
The estimates for the total alcohol consumption are produced by summing up the three-year average per capita recorded alcohol consumption and an estimate of per capita unrecorded alcohol consumption for a calendar year.
Tourist consumption takes into account tourists visiting the country and inhabitants visiting other countries.