Cross-sectional surveys of financial harm associated with others’ drinking in 15 countries: Unequal effects on women?

• Published in: Drug and alcohol dependence 2020-06, Vol.211, p.107949-107949, Article 107949
• Main Authors: Laslett, Anne-Marie, Jiang, Heng, Kuntsche, Sandra, Stanesby, Oliver, Wilsnack, Sharon, Sundin, Erica, Waleewong, Orratai, Greenfield, Thomas K., Graham, Kathryn, Bloomfield, Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking - economics; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcohol Drinking - trends; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cross-Sectional surveys; Drinking; Drinking behavior; Female; Financial harm; Financial Stress - economics; Financial Stress - epidemiology; Gender; Gender and socioeconomic inequities; Harm to others; High income; Humans; Income; International comparisons; Internationality; Low income groups; Male; Measurement; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Men; Middle Aged; Money; Polls & surveys; Population studies; Prevalence; Regression analysis; Rural areas; Sex Factors; Social conditions; Social problems; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Systematic review; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0376-8716; 1879-0046; 1879-0046
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107949

•Two percent of respondents in high-income countries reported financial harm due to others’ drinking.•In contrast, fourteen percent of respondents reported financial harm from others' drinking in low- and middle-income countries.•Financial harm from others’ drinking was notably high in Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.•Financial harm from others’ drinking was significantly more common among women than men in nine countries.•Among men and women, financial harm was significantly more prevalent in low- and middle- than in high-income countries. That physical, emotional and social problems occur not only to drinkers, but also to others they connect with, is increasingly acknowledged. Financial harms from others’ drinking have been seldom studied at the population level, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Whether financial harm and costs from others’ drinking inequitably affect women is little known. The study’s aim is to compare estimates and correlates of alcohol’s financial harm to others than the drinker in 15 countries. Cross-sectional surveys of Alcohol’s Harm To Others (AHTO) were conducted in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, India, Ireland, Lao PDR, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the US and Vietnam. Participants: 17,670 men and 20,947 women. Measurement: The prevalence of financial harm in the last year was assessed as financial trouble and/or less money available for household expenses because of someone else’s drinking. Analysis: Meta-analysis and country-level logistic regression of financial harm (vs. none), adjusted for gender, age, education, rurality and participant drinking. Under 3.2 % of respondents in most high-income countries reported financial harm due to others’ drinking, whereas 12–22 % did in Thailand, Sri Lanka and India. Financial harm from others’ drinking was significantly more common among women than men in nine countries. Among men and women, financial harm was significantly more prevalent in low- and middle- than in high-income countries. Reports of financial harm from others’ drinking are more common among women than among men, and in low- and middle-income than in high-income countries.