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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Norman Giesbrecht, PhD¹, Emma Haydon, MSc², Marianne Kobus-Matthews, MA³, Jürgen Rehm, PhD¹, and MIchael Roerecke, MSc¹. (1) Social, Prevention and Health Policy Research Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell St, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada, 416-535-8501 x 6895, norman.giesbrecht@camh.net, (2) Centre for Research in Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada, (3) Policy, Education and Health Promotion, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada

In the face of the heavy social, health and economic burden associated with chronic disability and disease, identifying the risk factors, social determinants and effective prevention options has recently become a major public health agenda. WHO studies (Global Burden of Disease Project) and other international research indicates that alcohol is a significant risk factor for a number of chronic diseases – cancers, neuropsychiatric conditions, cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases and others. In developed countries, such as US and Canada, alcohol ranks near tobacco in contributing to disease, disability and death involving both traumatic and chronic conditions. However, current prevention initiatives focusing on chronic disease give little attention to alcohol as a risk factor; for example, alcohol is typically not a priority in chronic disease prevention initiatives at regional or national levels in Canada.

Using recent research reports and a scan of current initiatives, we investigate this disjuncture between evidence and action, and examine several hypotheses: e.g., perceived benefits of low-risk drinking may overshadow information on damage; wide cultural acceptance of alcohol consumption may discourage raising the profile of drinking-related problems; and established and well-funded response networks for other risk factors may “squeeze out” alcohol. Given the recent rising rate of overall and high-risk alcohol consumption in Canada and other countries, it is expected that chronic disease linked with alcohol will increase. We offer recommendations for: giving evidence-based attention to alcohol, promoting effective interventions and alcohol controls, linking epidemiology with practice, and building on effective initiatives vis-à-vis other contributors to chronic disease.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session the participant will be able to

• Identify a number of risk factors and social conditions associated with chronic diseae, including the contributions of alcohol.
• Receive information on the disjunction between evidence and action, and become cognizant of several hypotheses that might explain the lack of congruence between epidemiology of contributing factors to chronic disease and current prevention priorities.
• Consider several recommendations for reducing chronic disease related to alcohol and other risk factors and social conditions.

Keywords: Alcohol, Chronic Diseases

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No