Despite COVID-19 Member States Need to Adequately Resource WHO’s Work to Address Alcohol Harm

Bakke, Øystein; Braaten, Eva Sigrid; Casswell, Sally

doi:10.34172/ijhpm.2020.234

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…Economic development agencies tend to view alcohol production by private interests as a development gain. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the only United Nations (UN) agency with a recurrent interest in alcohol issues [4], but it operates with meagre resources [91]. Since 2010 alcohol has been addressed as a risk factor in WHO's campaign against non‐communicable diseases (NCDs), but alcohol is not included in international agreements to limit harm from psychoactive substances.…”

Section: The Policy Process: Multiple Stakeholders Multiple Agendasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity—a summary of the third edition

et al. 2022

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Background and AimsThis article summarizes the findings and conclusions of the third edition of Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity. The latest revision of this book is part of a series of monographs designed to provide a critical review of the scientific evidence related to alcohol control policy from a public health perspective.DesignA narrative summary of the contents of the book according to five major issues.FindingsAn extensive amount of epidemiological evidence shows that alcohol is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, disability and death in high‐, middle‐ and low‐income countries. Trends in alcohol products and marketing are described, indicating that a large part of the global industry has been consolidated into a small number of transnational corporations that are expanding their operations in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The main part of the book is devoted to a review of strategies and interventions designed to prevent or minimize alcohol‐related harm. Overall, the most effective strategies to protect public health are taxation that decreases affordability and restrictions on the physical availability of alcohol. A total ban on alcohol marketing is also an effective strategy to reduce consumption. In addition, drink‐driving counter‐measures, brief interventions with at‐risk drinkers and treatment of drinkers with alcohol dependence are effective in preventing harm in high‐risk contexts and groups of hazardous drinkers.ConclusionAlcohol policy is often the product of competing interests, values and ideologies, with the evidence suggesting that the conflicting interests between profit and health mean that working in partnership with the alcohol industry is likely to lead to ineffective policy. Opportunities for implementation of evidence‐based alcohol policies that better serve the public good are clearer than ever before as a result of accumulating knowledge on which strategies work best.

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Section: The Policy Process: Multiple Stakeholders Multiple Agendasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity—a summary of the third edition

et al. 2022

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“…Despite the international endorsement of a global alcohol strategy in 2010, few resources have been committed, raising questions about political will and industry influence. The dearth of committed resources compounded vulnerabilities during the pandemic [49].…”

Section: Subtheme 2: Need For Dedicated Federal and State Prioritisat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative study of states' capacity to support alcohol prevention policies during the COVID‐19 pandemic in the USA

Haley

Peddireddy

El‐Harakeh

et al. 2023

Drug and Alcohol Review

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IntroductionThe onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic accelerated rates of alcohol purchasing and related harms in the USA. The increases followed governors' emergency orders that increased alcohol availability, including the allowance of alcohol home delivery, alcohol to‐go from restaurants and bars, and curbside pickup from retailers.MethodsSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with 53 participants involved in state‐level alcohol prevention policy across 48 states. Interviewees' perspectives on changes to alcohol prevention policies during the COVID‐19 pandemic, including capacity to respond to alcohol‐focused executive and legislative changes to alcohol availability, were explored. Initial codes were developed collectively and refined through successive readings of transcripts using a phenomenological, action‐oriented research approach. Themes were identified semantically after all transcripts were coded and reviewed.ResultsFour themes were developed including: (i) alcohol prevention policies and capacity during COVID‐19; (ii) industry‐related challenges during COVID‐19; (iii) limited pre‐COVID‐19 alcohol prevention capacity; and (iv) needs to strengthen alcohol prevention capacity.Discussion and ConclusionsThe pandemic exacerbated states' capacity limitations for alcohol prevention efforts and created additional impediments to public health messaging about alcohol health risks related to greater alcohol availability. Participants offered a myriad of strategies to improve alcohol prevention and to reduce alcohol‐related harms. Recommendations included dedicated federal and state prioritisation, more funding for community organisations, greater coordination, consistent high‐quality trainings, stronger surveillance and widespread prevention messaging. States' alcohol prevention efforts require dedicated leadership, additional funding and support to strengthen population‐based strategies to reduce sustained alcohol‐related harms associated with increases in alcohol availability.

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“…Finally, stronger and independent leadership by WHO is critical. Alcohol control is severely under-resourced at the WHO level, 18 with member states reporting insufficient technical assistance and lack of coordination as barriers to implementation of effective alcohol policies. 19 In contrast, tobacco control being the top priority of a former WHO director-general meant that resources could be devoted to the development of an FCTC.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%