Causes and Patterns of Alcohol consumption in Lithuania: Aspects of Harm and Informal control

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Causes and Patterns of Alcohol consumption in Lithuania: Aspects of Harm and Informal control

Journal Title: KultŁ«ra ir visuomenė. SocialiniŁ³ tyrimŁ³ Ł¾urnalas - Year 2014, Vol 5, Issue 3

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (2014), the amount of alcohol consumed in Lithuania per person is one of the highest in the world. The consumed alcohol amount is associated with the harm to the individual and people surrounding him or her. The article analyzes the relation between causes and patterns of alcohol con- sumption, the harm of alcohol and the informal control of drinkers. It is based on the data of a quantitative survey of adult residents of Lithuania conducted in 2014 as a part of the Social Exclusion and Social Participation in Transitional Lithuania project (VP1-3.1-SMM-07-K). In total, 1000 respondents were surveyed, 628 of whom indicated that they consumed alcoholic beverages in the last 12 months. Every other individual who consumed alcohol was involved in binge drinking. Men consumed alcohol more frequently than women. Using factor analysis, two types of alcohol consumption were identified: frivolous and dependent. The motives of sociability and alcohol-induced emotions were characteristic of frivolous consumption. The second type of alcohol use defined as dependent that displayed the signs of alcohol addiction and was dominated by the motives of “solving” problems and negative emotions produced by alcohol. Both identified types of alcohol use correlated with the indicators of social harm done by alcohol consumption. In the case of dependent alcohol use, the correlation with the harm to the drinker, particularly among men, was stronger but the correlation with the harm to society was lower. In the case of women, the indicator of the harm to society had a stronger correlation in the instance of dependent alcohol consumption, while in the case of men it correlated more with the frivolous kind of drinking. Based on the results of the linear regression analysis, it was determined that both variables of the types of alcohol use predicted alcohol consumption-related social harm to society but the frivolous type had a much greater impact than the dependent type. Although frivolous alcohol consumption was more associated with the social harm to society, the informal control was weak in this type, and it had no correlation with women and youth aged from 19 to 29 years. On the other hand, in the case of dependent alcohol consumption, an average-strength correlation was determined only with the variable of male informal control. The intensity of informal control increased with the drinker’s age. The acquired data allow the author to conclude that leisurely and frivolous alcohol consumption in pursuit of a positive experience is socially acceptable, while the social harm it causes to society and a drinker is ignored. Informal control is directly associated only with the dependent type of consumer, particularly men. For this reason, preventative measures have to be introduced for both kinds of alcohol users, particularly by emphasizing the harm inflicted by frivolous alcohol consumption. Alternative leisure activities and alcohol consumption patterns as well as forms of masculine expression that do not involve harm or self-harm must be encouraged.

Authors and Affiliations

Ilona Tamutienė

Keywords

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EP ID EP132282
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.7220/2335-8777.5.3.6
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