Citation

Laslett AM, Rankin G, Waleewong O, Callinan S, Hoang HT, Florenzano R, Hettige S, Obot I, Siengsounthone L, Ibanga A, Hope A, Landberg J, Vu HT, Thamarangsi T, Rekve D, Room RGW. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2017; 78(2): 195-202.

Affiliation

Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs (SORAD), Stockholm University, Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

28317499

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to ascertain and compare the prevalence and correlates of alcohol-related harms to children cross-nationally.

METHOD: National and regional sample surveys of randomly selected households included 7,848 carers (4,223 women) from eight countries (Australia, Chile, Ireland, Lao People's Democratic Republic [PDR], Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam). Country response rates ranged from 35% to 99%. Face-to-face or telephone surveys asking about harm from others' drinking to children ages 0-17 years were conducted, including four specific harms: that because of others' drinking in the past year children had been (a) physically hurt, (b) verbally abused, (c) exposed to domestic violence, or (d) left unsupervised.

RESULTS: The prevalence of alcohol-related harms to children varied from a low of 4% in Lao PDR to 14% in Vietnam. Alcohol-related harms to children were reported by a substantial minority of families in most countries, with only Lao PDR and Nigeria reporting significantly lower levels of harm. Alcohol-related harms to children were dispersed sociodemographically and were concentrated in families with heavy drinkers.

CONCLUSIONS: Family-level drinking patterns were consistently identified as correlates of harm to children because of others' drinking, whereas sociodemographic factors showed few obvious correlations.

Language: en