Alcohol harm: beyond the body to the body politic.
In light of the World Health Organization's declaration that non-dependent drinking contributes more to the global burden of alcohol-related disease than does drinking by those who meet diagnostic criteria for dependence, this paper argues that clinicians, researchers and decision-makers need to consider microsocial and macrosocial impacts of alcohol use, not just addiction and clinical effects on individuals meeting diagnostic criteria at the extreme high end of the alcohol-use spectrum. It suggests some qualitative dimensions to further define social or low-risk drinking and proposes that all drinking beyond that be described as harmful, because of its impacts on personal, community and population health.
Enrique Cabrera Medical School, Medical University of Havana, Havana, Cuba. isaric@infomed.sld.cu
Ricardo
R
González
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014944:World Health Organization