The alcohol program provides leadership and technical cooperation to Member States on public health policies related to alcohol consumption. Therefore, it generates and disseminates information on alcohol, evidence based policies and interventions, and monitors trends in consumption and related problems, with the goal of minimizing the negative health outcomes associated with their use. Among the various psychoactive substances consumed in the region, alcohol is a leading risk factor for the burden of disease.
The harmful consumption of alcohol is causally linked to over 200 health conditions, including liver diseases, road injuries, violence, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, suicides, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Priority cross-cutting issues for the program include: gender, human rights, health promotion and services in primary health care.
On this site you can find many resources with information on the impact alcohol and substance abuse have on health in the Americas.
- The Region of the Americas ranks as the second highest in consumption and in burden of alcohol, after the European Region.
- 54% of the total population are current drinkers, 29% are life abstainers, and 17% are former drinkers.
- Fewer people are drinking now, but those who do are drinking more.
- It is estimated that in the year 2012, alcohol led to the death of one person every 100 seconds in the Region.
- Health services to deal with alcohol use disorders are lacking.
- Stigma and discrimination against people with alcohol use disorders hinder their access to health services and treatment.
Plan of Action to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol
The regional plan of action calls for implementation of the WHO global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol, thus promoting a public health and human rights approach aimed at lowering the levels of per capita alcohol consumption in the population, as well as reducing alcohol related harm. It proposes that PAHO's role be to coordinate the regional response and to strengthen its technical cooperation for national activities based on the ten target areas proposed by the global strategy, for a period of ten years (2012-2021).
Alcohol and Health Webinar Series
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