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Alcohol - Injury Prevention
Data
definitions, limitations & uses • Data Sources
Alcohol consumption can have both
positive and negative health impacts. Moderate
consumption has been linked to lower rates of
cardiovascular disease and higher self-rated
health status. Whereas excessive consumption can
lead to health and social problems. Alcohol
related diseases affect 5 to 10 percent of the
world's population each year. These diseases
include cirrhosis of liver, liver cancer, alcohol
dependence syndrome and injuries from motor
vehicle collisions.
In 1996, in the combined regions of
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark, Kingston Frontenac
Lennox and Addington and Hastings and Prince
Edward (LGL/KFLA/HPE) 75% of the population 12 and
older reported drinking at least one drink in the
past year (see
figure 1). Regular drinkers (those consuming
at least one drink per month in the past year)
were much more common among men than women. Sixty
three percent of men and forty three percent of
women were regular drinkers in 1996 in LGL/KFLA/HPE
(see figure 2).
Men were also more likely than women to be
frequent heavy drinkers. In LGL/KFLA/HPE
twenty seven percent of men who drink reported
consumed five or more drinks on one occasion at
least once a month compared to ten percent of
women who drink (see
figure 3).
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Every year in Canada, many lives are lost
due to motor vehicle collisions and many of these
deaths occur among adolescents and teens. Many of
these incidents arise from the deadly combination
of alcohol and driving. Men are almost three times
more likely than women to report drinking and
driving. In LGL/KFLA/HPE, 11% of men and 3% of
women reported driving after drinking too much, at
least once in the year before being asked in the
1996 Ontario Health Survey (see figure 4).
This trend was not unique to LGL/KFLA/HPE, a
similar phenomena was observed in Ontario, where
9% of males and 2.5% of females reported driving
after drinking too much.
Data
definitions, limitations & uses
Current drinking
Frequent drinking
Frequent Heavy Drinking
Drinking and Driving
Data
Sources
Ontario Health Survey, 1990
Ontario Health Survey, 1996
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