ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is a public health problem that requires immediate preventive actions and health promotion. This is considered a determinant factor for some neuropsychiatric disorders and noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, liver cirrhosis and various types of cancers. Currently, alcohol consumption is considered a socially accepted practice, and is recognized as a vehicle for socialization in various social groups such as adolescents; alcohol is the legal starting drug and its consumption increases the risk of getting involved with other types of illegal substances such as marijuana, cocaine, among others. To understand the problem of alcohol consumption in the general population, it is important to start from basic aspects such as the definitions and the general picture of this problem worldwide, as well as to know the consequences of consumption and the nursing function in prevention. Alcohol consumption can be described in terms of grams of alcohol consumed or the alcoholic content of different beverages.

Keywords

• Alcohol consumption
• public health
• alcohol abuse
• risk factors
• consequences