EWS Nordic network on alcohols harms to others

Although alcohol-related harm to persons other than the drinker is not a new approach, the effect of drinking on bystanders has lately been re-instated as a significant part of the general concept of alcohol-related harm. A wide range of adverse consequen ces from drinking are included, from minor harm in a public setting (nuisance etc.) to serious harm both in a private and a public setting (violence, child neglect, traffic accidents etc.). In the Nordic countries, data on alcohol's harm to others has bee n collected through population survey studies and register data. In addition, Nordic research institutes are in the process of planning qualitative studies on alcohol's harms to others. We therefore propose a Nordic collaborative research project called A lcohol's Harms to others in the Nordic countries, which will be divided into three sub-categories; 1. A comparison of existing national survey data on alcohol?s harm to others. 2. A Nordic qualitative study on alcohol's harm to others and 3. A comparison of Nordic register-data on alcohol?s harms to others. Owing to the Nordic countries similarities in social structures, public health as well as cultural similarities and a tradition of close research collaboration, the growing interest in the harm to o ther's perspective offers a valuable opportunity of Nordic collaboration and of increasing Nordic data comparability and research about the effects of alcohol to others than the drinker. The potential of alcohol's harms to others research and the opportu nities provided by the current Nordic research initiatives in the field offer a very good foundation for expanding research at a Nordic comparative level. Nordic research collaboration on alcohol's harm to others will provide useful Nordic information abo ut alcohol?s harms to others through joint Nordic publications, strengthen the collection of comparable data and create a platform for future Nordic and international research on alcohol's harm to others.

Although alcohol-related harm to persons other than the drinker is not a new approach, the effect of drinking on bystanders has lately been re-instated as a significant part of the general concept of alcohol-related harm. A wide range of adverse consequen ces from drinking are included, from minor harm in a public setting (nuisance etc.) to serious harm both in a private and a public setting (violence, child neglect, traffic accidents etc.). In the Nordic countries, data on alcohol's harm to others has bee n collected through population survey studies and register data. In addition, Nordic research institutes are in the process of planning qualitative studies on alcohol's harms to others. We therefore propose a Nordic collaborative research project called A lcohol's Harms to others in the Nordic countries, which will be divided into three sub-categories; 1. A comparison of existing national survey data on alcohol?s harm to others. 2. A Nordic qualitative study on alcohol's harm to others and 3. A comparison of Nordic register-data on alcohol?s harms to others. Owing to the Nordic countries similarities in social structures, public health as well as cultural similarities and a tradition of close research collaboration, the growing interest in the harm to o ther's perspective offers a valuable opportunity of Nordic collaboration and of increasing Nordic data comparability and research about the effects of alcohol to others than the drinker. The potential of alcohol's harms to others research and the opportu nities provided by the current Nordic research initiatives in the field offer a very good foundation for expanding research at a Nordic comparative level. Nordic research collaboration on alcohol's harm to others will provide useful Nordic information abo ut alcohol?s harms to others through joint Nordic publications, strengthen the collection of comparable data and create a platform for future Nordic and international research on alcohol's harm to others.