Harmful Use of Alcohol: A Shadow over Sub-Saharan Africa in Need of Workable Solutions

Abstract

Alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable burden of disease in Africa are expected to rise in the near future, yet. increasing alcohol-related harm receives little attention from policymakers and from the population in general. Even where new legislation is proposed it is rarely enacted into law. Being at the center of social and cultural activities in many countries, alcohol’s negative role in society and contribution to countries’ burden of disease are rarely questioned. After the momentum created by the adoption in 2010 of the WHO Global Strategy and the WHO Regional Strategy (for Africa) to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, and the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, in 2013, little seems to have been done to address the increasing use of alcohol, its associated burden and the new challenges that derive from the growing influence of the alcohol industry in Africa. In this review, we argue that to have a positive impact on the health of African populations, action addressing specific features of alcohol policy in the continent is needed, namely focusing on particularities linked to alcohol availability, like unrecorded and illicit production, outlet licensing, the expansion of formal production, marketing initiatives and taxation policies.

Transitions between lifetime alcohol use, regular use and remission: Results from the 2004 South African Stress and Health Survey

“…[7] South Africa (SA) has very high rates of hazardous alcohol consumption among drinkers, with rates of hazardous drinking appearing to be on the rise. [8] For example, in a cross-sectional analysis, researchers found an increase in the proportion of drinkers reporting binge drinking, an indicator of hazardous alcohol consumption, from 9.8% in 2005 to 13.2% in 2012. [9] Together, these findings highlight the need for interventions to prevent transitions from non-hazardous alcohol use to hazardous patterns of consumption, and from hazardous alcohol use to the more severe form of alcohol use disorders (AUDs).…”

Building cooperative learning to address alcohol and other drug abuse in Mpumalanga, South Africa: a participatory action research process

“…Alcohol-related diseases and injuries take approximately 3.3 million lives every year, and it is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases and conditions [2]. In sub-Saharan Africa, alcohol abuse accounts for 6.4% of all deaths and 4.7% of all Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), which is expected to rise in the future [3].…”

Comunicação em Saúde Pública na Prevenção do Consumo Excessivo de Álcool e Drogas na População Escolar de São Tomé e Príncipe: Protocolo Científico

“…No caso de STP, os padrões de consumo são desconhecidos 36 e os consumos de álcool 9,37,38 estendem-se aos aguardentes artesanais como o grogue (originário dos descendentes da comunidade de Cabo Verde) e a cacharamba (originários dos descendentes da comunidade de Angola e STP), sendo que no caso de STP se verifica a utilização de catalisadores (fermentação como referido popularmente) e baterias (baterias alcalinas com metais). Em STP, não era possível avaliar as quantidades ingeridas de álcool devido à inexistência de evidência científica sobre todos os tipos de álcoois artesanais produzidos 39 sem controle sanitário ou legislação 40,41 e consumidos nas comunidades locais. 39,40,42 As formas mais comuns de álcool são cacharamba, chalelinha, tomatxo e quentekú, bebidas produzidas a partir de frutos como cana-de-açúcar, manga, cajamanga ou abacaxi, e catalisadas com substâncias 40,42 (metais desconhecidos), excluindo o vinho de palma com processo de fermentação natural.…”

“…21 Além disso, algumas intervenções preventivas como comunicação em saúde 49 (IPCS) através do edutainment, 50 que visem a promoção da saúde 45 e redução de risco causado pelos CE de álcool e drogas (CEAD), 45,46 são recomendadas para as populações mais jovens. 41,45 Trata-se de uma prioridade, nestas ilhas africanas do Atlântico, promovendo a educação para a saúde, 45,47 procurando infletir os encargos com a saúde. O CEAD em África e em STP é um importante determinante de saúde, que contribui também para o aumento das desigualdades sociais.…”