Regular use of alcohol is a key risk factor that has a significant impact on a range of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, cancers and diabetes (Department of Health and Social Care, 2023). Alcohol-related harm is now recognised as a significant risk to the public's health and the WHO has advised that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health (WHO, 2023). The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies alcohol in its highest risk group of carcinogens and it sits alongside asbestos, radiation and tobacco (2020). Increasing alcohol intake increases the risk of harm to health.
The Chief Medical Officer has published risk guidelines on drinking alcohol in order to help inform individuals about risks associated with alcohol intake (Department of Health, 2016). Knowing how much is too much can be confusing. The majority of adults in the UK still do not know what the UK Low Risk Drinking Guidelines are (Drinkaware, 2023). Alcohol measures are usually counted as units, and 6 pints of lager or 1.5 bottles of wine equates to 14 units. The guidance applies to men and women that drink alcohol regularly and recommends that individuals should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol weekly in order to reduce the risk of alcohol-related harm to health. This amount is preferably spread throughout 3 days or more, keeping some days of the week alcohol free. At 14 units a week, the risk of dying from an alcohol-related condition is around 1 in 100. New draft clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment categorises regular drinkers of 14 units or less each week as moderate or controlled drinkers (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2023).
Hazardous drinking, also called increasing risk, is regularly drinking more than 14 units and up to 50 units for men and up to 35 units for women. Harmful drinking, also called high-risk drinking, is a weekly alcohol intake of more than 50 units for men and more than 35 units for women (Alcohol Change UK, 2023). Many people (1 in 5 older men and 1 in 10 older women) are drinking more than the recommended drinking guidelines and are at risk of alcohol-related harm to health (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2018). People aged 50 years and older are more likely to exceed the recommended weekly guidelines than any other age group (NHS Digital, 2022). The reasons given for drinking more include retirement, bereavement, social isolation, financial reasons and a loss of purpose. It has been documented that 1 in 5 high-risk drinkers had never been asked about their drinking, and nobody, including health workers, had raised concern about their drinking or suggested that they cut down (Drink Wise Age Well, 2021).
Community nurses are well placed to discuss drinking habits, risk and alcohol-related harm with their patients. Alcohol Change UK is an independent charity focusing on reducing alcohol-related harm in the UK. The charity spearheads the Dry January campaign every year alongside other public health initiatives promoting alcohol change. The charity's website provides access to invaluable tools, information and resources to support everyone in starting a conversation about drinking habits and alcohol change.