Social impacts

The impact of alcohol on society: 

  • Violent Crime (Murder / Rape)
  • Assault / Fights (ABH / GBH)
  • Drunk and Disorderly
  • Criminal Damage
  • Poor Work
  • Disciplinary Problems
  • Accidents at Work
  • Tardiness and Absenteeism
  • Lack Of Concentration & Poor Judgement
  • Loss of Job
  • Road Accidents
  • Drink Driving
  • Driving Bans
  • Socially Withdrawn
  • Arguments with Friends and Colleagues
  • Loss of Friends

Alcohol problems and work - some statistics

 

Money

Total expenditure on alcohol - UK 1991 (1) £ 23,553m
Government revenue from alcohol - UK 1990-91 (1) £ 7,850m
Social costs of alcohol misuse - 1990 (2) £ 2,461m
Annual cost of alcohol-related sickness absence - (2) £964,370m


Consumption

Consumption of alcohol per head - UK 1960 (1) 4.4Litres
Consumption of alcohol per head - UK 1991 (1) 7.2Litres

 

Risk drinking
28% of men in Great Britain drink more than the medically recommended sensible level of 21 units per week (3) 11% of women (3) 14(3) 4% of women (3) 7(3) 2% of women (3)

 

Consequences
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of employers say alcohol misuse is a problem in their organisation (4)

A recent study found that men drinking over 21 units per week take twice as much sick leave, measured in both total episodes (spells) and total duration (days) as men drinking less than 21 units (5) Up to 25% of accidents at work involve intoxicated workers (6) 8-14million work days are lost each year as a result of alcohol related (7)

In a 1989 survey by OPCS, 11% of working men and 6% of working women admitted that they had had a drink during working hours in the week before the interview (8)

In the same survey, 4% of males and 25 of females admitted to taking time off work because of a hangover at least once in the previous year (8)

7% of men and 3% of women also admitted that their work had been below par because of their drinking in the last year (8)

Employment
In Great Britain in 1991 employment in the brewing and related industries was 1,106,000 (1)

References
1) Statistical Handbook - The Brewer's Society, 1992
2) Is it helpful to measure the social costs of alcohol use? Professor Alan Maynard - Research Training Information Consortium, May 1992
3) General Household Survey 1990 - Office of Population Consensuses and Surveys, 1992
4) Calling Time on Drinking at work - Personnel Today, November 1992
5) A six year longitudinal study of the occupational consequences of drinking over the safe limits of alcohol. Jenkins, R et al British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 49; 1992 pg369-374 UK
6) International Labour Office - Geneva, Reponses to drugs and Alcohol problems in the workplace, 1987
7) A Government Economic Service Working Party, No 37, DHSS Holterman & Burchall 1981
8) Drinking in England and Wales in the late 1980's. Goddard, Office of Population Consensuses and Surveys, 1992