Programme on reducing harm from alcohol use in the community

Abstract

Description: The WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (‎SEARO)‎ initiated a programme to acquire and synthesize information relevant to developing and implementing interventions on the use and harm from alcohol through community action in six Member States (‎India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand)‎. Community-based surveys were conducted in Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka by country experts with technical support from SEARO. Data from India, Indonesia and Thailand were obtained from national surveys conducted in these countries. Within the South-East Asia (‎SEA)‎ Region, different contexts and circumstances of alcohol use exist among countries as well as within different population groups within countries. Thus, information on alcohol use and harm from use in different locations and population groups was obtained. Information related to the types of alcohol, frequency and contexts of use, age of initiation, quantity of use and social and other problems related to use was collected. Following the analysis of data, a meeting of experts identified the issues for addressing harm related to alcohol use through community empowerment projects were identified. These include alcohol use among youth, violence and antisocial behaviour following alcohol use, use of alcohol at special occasions, and pay-day use. Development and implementation of pilot interventions have commenced in five sites in India (‎Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Karnataka)‎, two sites in Sri Lanka (‎in the Galle and Matara districts)‎ and two sites in Thailand (‎in Pattananicom District and Songkla)‎. Each site will design its own community action programme based on the factors identified, the cultural background and the requirements of the community. This document describes some of the activities undertaken by MHS Unit in the programme to reduce harm from alcohol use in Member States of the South-East Asia Region. It should be noted that SEARO is the only Regional Office that has begun testing various models of community action through community empowerment to reduce harm from alcohol use."