Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is one of the most harmful conditions associated with consumption. Despite a high level of consumption and an elevated number of people living with an AUD, evidence from help-seeking processes in Latin America is scarce and absent in Argentina. This paper aims to describe reasons for delaying and starting help-seeking, the process of problem awareness, and the years elapsed between drinking initiation, problem awareness and help-seeking, as perceived by a clinical, non-random sample of people with AUD (n=51). The most frequent reason for delaying help-seeking was not believing there was a problem. The most frequent motivators for seeking help were having physical or psychological problems due to use and repeated attempts to reduce or stop use. The outcomes of this study can be useful for designing interventions to reduce help-seeking barriers and facilitate access to treatment.
Objective.
To report the risk from alcohol, cannabis, and their combined use for non-fatal road traffic injuries for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Methods.
Risk was estimated using the case-crossover method. Participants (N= 306) were injured patients from an emergency department in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Results.
Alcohol use (OR= 6.78, CI 95% 3.75-12.25) as well as combined alcohol and cannabis use (OR= 7.05, CI 95% 1.16-42.73) significantly increased the risk of a road traffic injuries. Alcohol use increased the risk in both, women (OR= 8.87, CI 95% 2.69-29.21) and men (OR= 6.16, CI 95% 3.10-12.23); in those >30 years old (OR= 6.01, CI 95% 2.09-17.24) and those <30 years old (OR= 7.15, CI 95% 3.49-14.65). This last group also had an increased risk after combined alcohol and cannabis use (OR= 7.05, CI 95% 1.16-42.75). Both drivers (OR= 6.40, CI 95% 3.23-12.69) and passengers (OR= 13.83, CI 95% 2.87-66.42) had an increased risk after alcohol consumption.
Conclusions.
To our knowledge, these are the first estimates of the risk of having a road traffic injury after alcohol and cannabis consumption in one of the countries of the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay). These results highlight the urgent need to implement and enforce comprehensive alcohol control measures. Furthermore, given the global trend towards legalizing cannabis for recreational use, our results could also inform policymakers to enact or amend impaired driving laws.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and isolation measures on alcohol consumption remains unknown among Latin-American countries. This paper characterizes differences in alcohol consumption and related problems before and after the pandemic among Argentinians from different genders, age groups, income levels, and behaviors regarding the acquisition of alcoholic beverages. Through an online survey 1446 participants were assessed regarding four alcohol consumption dimensions (frequency, quantity, heavy episodic drinking -HED- and alcohol-related problems) three months prior and after the first cases in the country and subsequent lockdown measures. Overall, participants reported small reductions for usual consumption and moderate ones for HED and related problems. As expected, very high reductions were found for those underage (14 to 18 years), and young adults (19 to 24 years). Those who had an increase in income after the pandemic did not report changes in consumption, while those whose income remained equal or lowered reported reductions. Those who did not report special behaviors to acquire alcohol (e.g. pre-stocking) informed decreases in consumption compared to those who did. This study provides new evidence on the impact of environmental factors in public health, suggesting restricted access to alcohol generates a significant decrease in alcohol consumption and related problems.
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