Page 146 - Petelin, Ana, et al. 2019. Eds. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
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avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 144 Introduction
Alcohol abuse has been one of the biggest public health issues in the world in
the last 40 years.
Slovenia has a ”wet culture” where alcohol use is a significant compo-
nent of (every) important life event. Alcohol-addicted patients sometimes say
that everything is the reason for drinking and “if there is no reason for drink-
ing, this is the reason for drinking”. In their environment, children and adoles-
cents are most probably faced with values tolerating alcohol consumption. The
legal status of alcohol makes it a legal drug that is why it is connected with ma-
ny dual messages, which also exerts influence on the formation of opinion of
the young about alcohol.
In the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region (ER)1, which
also includes Slovenia, the greatest alcohol use in the world is recorded. Al-
so problematic are the drinking habits, the greatest burden of the disease and
mortality due to alcohol abuse as well as the number of deaths attributed to al-
cohol and healthy years of life lost (Rehm et al, 2009; Rehm and Imtiaz, 2016;
WHO, 2009; WHO, 2014; OECD, 2016; Lovrečič and Lovrečič, 2013; Lovrečič
and Lovrečič, 2013; Lovrečič, 2015). Slovenia ranks high among the EU coun-
tries and WHO ER countries regarding alcohol use as well as health problems
due to alcohol abuse (Rehm et al, 2009; Rehm and Imtiaz, 2016; WHO, 2009;
WHO, 2014; OECD, 2016; Lovrečič and Lovrečič, 2013; Lovrečič and Lovrečič,
2013; Lovrečič, 2015). Problematic drinking habits, great accessibility to alcohol
and excessively tolerant attitude towards heavy drinking in society are record-
ed. According to data, most adult inhabitants of Slovenia drink alcohol with-
in the limits of less risky drinking. In 2016, seven in ten inhabitants of Slovenia
aged between 25 and 64 drank alcohol within the limits of less risky drinking,
two abstained from alcohol in the previous year and one drank alcohol exces-
sively2. Every second inhabitant of Slovenia was a high-risk drinker. Men ab-
stain from alcohol less frequently, they drink more often and more heavily than
women (Lovrečič in Lovrečič, 2018a). The problem of alcohol and its conse-
quences is not present only among the adults, but it is also reflected among the
adolescents who represent a vulnerable group due to their characteristics. Slo-
venian children and adolescents drink alcoholic drinks more often and are ex-
posed to higher alcohol concentrations; they drink alcoholic drinks more of-
ten in comparison with a European average as well as an international average.
Only very few young inhabitants of Slovenia do not have personal experience
with alcohol (Lovrečič, 2014; Lovrečič, 2016; Rok-Simon, Lovrečič, Lovrečič,
and Šarc, 2018).
1 It includes the EU countries, Norway and Switzerland.
2 In the survey, women who drank 10 g or more of pure alcohol daily and men who
drank 20 g or more of pure alcohol daily were defined as heavy drinkers. Those
who drank less than that were less risky drinkers. Abstainers are those who did
not drink alcohol in the last year.
Alcohol abuse has been one of the biggest public health issues in the world in
the last 40 years.
Slovenia has a ”wet culture” where alcohol use is a significant compo-
nent of (every) important life event. Alcohol-addicted patients sometimes say
that everything is the reason for drinking and “if there is no reason for drink-
ing, this is the reason for drinking”. In their environment, children and adoles-
cents are most probably faced with values tolerating alcohol consumption. The
legal status of alcohol makes it a legal drug that is why it is connected with ma-
ny dual messages, which also exerts influence on the formation of opinion of
the young about alcohol.
In the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region (ER)1, which
also includes Slovenia, the greatest alcohol use in the world is recorded. Al-
so problematic are the drinking habits, the greatest burden of the disease and
mortality due to alcohol abuse as well as the number of deaths attributed to al-
cohol and healthy years of life lost (Rehm et al, 2009; Rehm and Imtiaz, 2016;
WHO, 2009; WHO, 2014; OECD, 2016; Lovrečič and Lovrečič, 2013; Lovrečič
and Lovrečič, 2013; Lovrečič, 2015). Slovenia ranks high among the EU coun-
tries and WHO ER countries regarding alcohol use as well as health problems
due to alcohol abuse (Rehm et al, 2009; Rehm and Imtiaz, 2016; WHO, 2009;
WHO, 2014; OECD, 2016; Lovrečič and Lovrečič, 2013; Lovrečič and Lovrečič,
2013; Lovrečič, 2015). Problematic drinking habits, great accessibility to alcohol
and excessively tolerant attitude towards heavy drinking in society are record-
ed. According to data, most adult inhabitants of Slovenia drink alcohol with-
in the limits of less risky drinking. In 2016, seven in ten inhabitants of Slovenia
aged between 25 and 64 drank alcohol within the limits of less risky drinking,
two abstained from alcohol in the previous year and one drank alcohol exces-
sively2. Every second inhabitant of Slovenia was a high-risk drinker. Men ab-
stain from alcohol less frequently, they drink more often and more heavily than
women (Lovrečič in Lovrečič, 2018a). The problem of alcohol and its conse-
quences is not present only among the adults, but it is also reflected among the
adolescents who represent a vulnerable group due to their characteristics. Slo-
venian children and adolescents drink alcoholic drinks more often and are ex-
posed to higher alcohol concentrations; they drink alcoholic drinks more of-
ten in comparison with a European average as well as an international average.
Only very few young inhabitants of Slovenia do not have personal experience
with alcohol (Lovrečič, 2014; Lovrečič, 2016; Rok-Simon, Lovrečič, Lovrečič,
and Šarc, 2018).
1 It includes the EU countries, Norway and Switzerland.
2 In the survey, women who drank 10 g or more of pure alcohol daily and men who
drank 20 g or more of pure alcohol daily were defined as heavy drinkers. Those
who drank less than that were less risky drinkers. Abstainers are those who did
not drink alcohol in the last year.
