Study suggests 30 percent of Czech men, 9 percent of women, are hazardous drinkers
A new study has suggested that some 30 percent of Czech men and nine percent of Czech women are problem drinkers, risking a negative impact on their health. The study also found that almost 4 percent of Czech men are alcoholics who need professional help, while the number is 0.3 percent among women.
Alcohol abuse in the Czech Republic is fast becoming a serious problem: a new study soon to be published in the Central European Journal of Public Health, suggests numbers that are alarming: as much as 30 percent of men and nine percent of women are problem drinkers, risking their health through alcohol, while 4 percent of men and 0.3 percent of women are already alcoholics. Dr Karel Nešpor, a well-known expert on alcohol and drug addiction at Prague’s Bohnice Psychiatric Hospital, agrees the situation is far from good:
“These numbers are quite high if you consider one thing: somebody with severe alcohol problems is probably too busy with other things to answer questions by researchers. So the most damaged people did not take part in the study. Another element is the stigma associated with alcohol abuse especially when it comes to women. So the numbers reported there were considerably lower. But definitely if they do drink, they feel ashamed. So the situation in our country is serious.”
According to Dr Nešpor, the numbers of alcohol abusers then, especially among women, are most likely even higher than the numbers now reported and in his view, the risks of problem drinking all too often are underestimated, saying that in some individuals even small amounts of alcohol, when combined with medication or other substances, can be debilitating and lead to serious health problems. One possible solution? In his view, to subject alcohol in the country – especially beer which accounts for 50 percent of alcohol consumed – to higher taxes.
