Alcohol
Health & Wellbeing priority:
To reduce harm from alcohol
Why is this a priority in Trafford?
In the United Kingdom, Alcohol misuse is a leading risk factor for death, disability and ill-health amongst individuals aged 15-49 years and the fifth biggest risk factor for all ages. Alcohol usage can lead to over 60 medical conditions including cancers (mouth, throat, stomach, liver, and breast), high blood pressure, depression, and cirrhosis of the liver. As well as having a significant impact on health, alcohol misuse can also have long-term social implications. For example, it can lead to domestic abuse, unemployment, homelessness, and financial problems
How many people are at risk of harm from alcohol?
Estimates suggest that around 28.5% of Trafford adults are drinking above the recommended levels, statistically similar to England average (22.8 %) (Public Health Profiles, 2018).
Rates of alcohol-related deaths in Trafford are similar to England averages (Local Alcohol Profile, 2020).
Trafford has typically has high and increasing rates of alcohol-related hospitalisation, especially for conditions where alcohol is the sole cause, though decreased in 2020/21 to a rate of 576 per 100,000 population, which is just lower than the England rate of 587 per 100,000 (Local Alcohol Profile, 2021) – with this potentially being an impact of COVID-19. Not including 2020/21, both locally and nationally, alcohol related hospitalisation rates were increasing over time indicating that this is a public health issue of increasing relative importance.
Which groups within Trafford are most at risk of alcohol-related harm?
Gender
Alcohol related death and hospital admission rates among Trafford males are at least twice as high as among females.
Area deprivation
Local Health provides small area data on hospital stays for alcohol related harm. Rates for MSOAs within Trafford (small areas of up to 15,000 people or 6,000 households) are compared to England (with the England value set at 100). The ratio ranges from 56.2% in the Hale Barns MSOA (i.e. 43.8% fewer admissions than would be expected if Hale Barns had the same rates as England) to 129.2% in the Lostock and Stretford Meadows MSOA (i.e. 29.2% more admissions). Hospital admissions for alcohol attributable conditions increase as the levels of deprivation increases in Trafford (Public Health Profiles, 2020/21).
What services are in place to prevent alcohol harm?
Identifying unsafe drinkers, followed by a “brief intervention” from a health professional can reduce alcohol related harm. During 2020/2021, 375 unsafe drinkers in Trafford received a brief intervention (Local Alcohol Profile, 2021). Services to reduce harm from alcohol in Trafford include
- AA: AA is a point of contact for suffering alcoholics and "first line" advice on dealing with alcoholism. This line refers callers to members of AA who can provide local help and advice and can introduce callers to local meetings where they can access facilities and information. AA can be contacted at 0161 839 2881.
- The Counselling & Family Centre - Support group for those affected by drugs or alcohol
Further details of local support available in Trafford to reduce harm from alcohol can be found in the Trafford Directory.