Page 40 - DIVA_2_2008_No.33

set a good mation and advice specifically
example. Most to women and also specific-
importantly, it ally to men. A targeted
seems generally approach that deals with
tnie that young potential risks separately and
people whose in a sensitive way can help
parents are address the needs of different
involved in populations.
their lives and
where there is a Do you have a message
close relation- for the international com-
ship are much munity?
less likely to
experience drin- I suppose that would be to
king problems sum up what I hope has been
than where the overall message throu-
these are absent. ghout these responses - that
alcohol policy and approaches
drinking is as dangerous We do not offen hear to prevention need to take into
as drug abuse, and that account the range of different
about women and their
far more parents were alcohol problems. It drinking patterns that exists.
concerned about drug tends to be a tboo in People drink in different
abuse than seeing the ways, and cultural views on
society. Why, and what
dangers of alcohol. What can in your opinion done alcohol are quite different
is your opinion, and what to address the problem? from one country to another.
should parents do? These differences need to be
In virtually all societies where taken into consideration when
Currently, there are major tying to craft approaches to
dg occurs, women have
concems about young peo- policy.
traditionally been less likely to
ple's g in many coun-
dr'mk and to drink less than
tries around the world. In par- And beyond this, regulation
men. Drinking is generally
ticular, there is concern about around alcohol is certainly
considered less acceptable for
extreme dtinking patterns that necessary, but should be seen
women than for men.
have been very much in the
However, the reality of drm- as a broader context wit
public eye in countries like the More which targeted interventions
king is changing.
United Kingdom. Research at can be devised and implemen-
women are drinking and some
the European level, particular-
are g more. D rinking ted to address specific harms.
Iy the ESPAD study, for pattems of men and women Finally, itwould also be aplea
example, shows that extreme to involve all stakeholders,
are convergtng m many coun-
g is prevalent among both the public and
tries. The roles of women in including
youth in the Noithern private sectors, and to find a
societ5r have changed quite
European countries, including way for them to work in part-
dramatically over the years.
the LTK, Ireland, and the nersip. Sustainable policies
With more women joining the
Nordic countries. having their own are pragmatic - they need to
workforce,
Interestingly, although young make sense within the reality
incomes, deferig marriage
people in southern Europe are,
and childbea*g, there has of how real people drmk and
on the whole, more likely to
also been a significant change therefore need to include all
drink than their northern sectors of society who have a
in their behaviours, including
counterparts, they are much stake in the issue. I believe
drinking. This is tnie of deve-
less likely to get drunk or such a parhiership
loped countries, but also that
drinktoextremes. Theoverall approach involving all inter-
increasingly also in emergmg
g culture and societal
markets. ested stakeholders is far more
acceptance of g and than just the sum of its parts. I
drunkenness, therefore, play a that this
From a policy and prevention am convinced
major role of shaping the drm- approach cantruly make a dif-
standpoint, it is important to
kingpattems ofyoungpeople. ference in changmg undesir-
recogme that this shift has
Research tells us that parents patterns and
taken place. At the same time, able drinking
play the most significant role responsible drin-
there are also some significant encourag'ng
in shaping the drinking pat- king.
differences in the way women
tems of their cidren - mucli and its
metabolize alcohol
more than peers or other
effect on their bodies. As a
influences. Parents have a
result, there is, once again, a
responsibility to talk to their
need to tailor measures, infor-
cildren about driiiking and to
38 2 2008 Diva
w w w d i v a in t e r n a t go n a I c h