Introduction
Substance abuse has been a great problem across the world and in particular, the abuse of alcohol. The United States has been faced with serious implications as a result of the issue of alcohol abuse. For this reason, there is increasing health promotion and disease prevention strategies that have been put in place to try and mitigate the increase in the effects of alcohol abuse, and mostly the diseases related to the risk of abuse.
Main body
Whereas light to moderate alcohol consumption could have some benefits to the consumer, excessive drinking has severe adverse impact on health. Just like other drugs, toxicity of alcohol is based on dosage (Larimer & Cronce, 2002, p. 153). In the United States, when the consumption of alcohol exceeds two drinks per day per person, this is regarded as alcohol abuse. Drinking affects judgment and therefore, excessive drinking can lead to risky behavior resulting into immediate and harmful health effects.
There are deleterious effects that are associated with the abuse of alcohol and these include among others accidents and injuries, risky sexual behavior, alcohol poisoning, and aggression (Malow et al, 2001, p. 105). Of particular concern is the binge drinking since is associated with immediate consequences like violence accidents and other risky conduct.
Statistics show that over 22 million Americans struggle with the problem of alcohol abuse. Worse of it is that about 95% of them are not aware that they are having this problem. Still, a big percentage of those who appreciate that they have the problem have made unsuccessful attempts to stop the problem (Malow et al, 2001, p. 105).
Health Profile of alcohol abusers is characterized by problems that come as a result of poor judgment and impaired thinking hence risky behavior. In the modern society, alcohol abuse is a serious problem that is leading to more health issues. Alcohol abuse is simply explained as condition where an individual consumes more alcohol that she/he cannot control oneself (Room, 2005, p. 521). The person ends up engaging in risky conclude due to intoxication.
Alcohol abuse can definitely precipitate into alcoholism, where the victim becomes dependent on alcohol. Alcohol-related problems are increasingly becoming a serious concern in public health because, alcohol is now very readily available to young people especially college students (Knight et al, 2002, p. 264). An important observation is that many of these alcohol-related problems are seen among non-dependent consumes who are basically harmful drinkers or as WHO would put it, hazardous consumers (Knight et al, 2002, p. 264).
Drink alone: alcohol abusers tend to drink alone so as to hide the misconduct from friends and family. This can happen before attending social events (Knight et al, 2002, p. 264).
Loss of control: Besides, an individual who abuses alcohol can try quitting and coming back several times. The person can begin with a limit in mind but ends up taking more than she/he planned (Room, 2005, p. 521).
Blackout: alcohol abusers often suffer episodes of blackout or complete memory loss of cetin events that took place when they were drunk (Knight et al, 2002, p. 264).
High tolerance: an individual can begin to require more alcohol in order to get drunk. The euphoria produced by alcohol becomes normal to such people. Denial – alcohol abusers do not usually admit that they have a problem and often become aggravated when this issue is addressed to them (Room, 2005, p. 521). They even say they can stop anytime they want and some may have tried stopping before to no avail.
The health impact of the reckless consumption of alcohol can be immediate or long-term. These effects are also cumulative and they critically contribute to the social and mental cost of medical care. These problems include unprotected or unintended sex because of lack of control brought about by the drink (Malow et al, 2001, p. 105).
Studies indicate that college students who drank heavily had high chances of engaging in unplanned sex than those who did not. These students were also less likely to use protection and as a result they are likely to suffer the consequences which include contraction of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS (Malow et al, 2001, p. 108).
Because alcohol abusers usually get easily provoke and the ‘high’ that alcohol brings causes irrational decision. This is the reason why there are high crime rates among alcohol abusers (Larimer & Cronce, 2002, p. 154). These group of people often gets involved in physical fights, accidents, and even suicides and homicides.
Intervention Strategies Applicable
Family is a crucial component in the treatment of the problem of alcohol abuse among youths (Brook et al, 1990, p. 123). The public health service – PHS is now more than ever dedicated to attaining the health promotion objectives of the Healthy People 2010. The use of family theory is related to the priority of this paper which is intervention of alcohol abuse and therefore will be used for the intervention. To begin with, family has various definitions include the unit where a person was born, the biological kin and even some unrelated people can consider themselves family due to mutual commitment (Brook et al, 1990, p. 123).
Families can live under one roof or in different households but the connection remains strong. Studies have shown that family play a protective role to alcohol abuse because of there are some precursors associated to the initiation of the abuse (Ashery et al, 1998, p. 43).
Families offer protection and considered as the first defense mechanism where psychological strength can be obtained. This includes building self-esteem so as to alleviate vulnerability to drug abuse (Larimer & Cronce, 2002, p. 156). In most of the situations, the family may not be able to offer the required nurturance and defense and therefore it becomes a risk factor that increases vulnerability (Malow et al, 2001, p. 109). This means is pertinent to understand family interventions program to offer protection and negate the initiation of alcohol abuse.
Health promotion is the process that gives people the ability to control and improve their health. In order for a person to attain an absolute state of social, mental and physical wellness, that individual should be able to recognize and realize objectives (Room, 2005, p. 521), to satisfy needs and to adjust or cope with the situation. Health promotion is based on several theories, trans-theoretical, social learning, reasoned action and the health belief model among others (Larimer & Cronce, 2002, p. 156).
In practical application, health promotion is a standard option that is used in the process of drug abuse treatment and can be considered as the foundation of the prevention message. This has a major advantage that it does not have conflicting principles and most people will therefore agree on its theory (Larimer & Cronce, 2002, p. 162).
Value expectancy theories comprise numerous models which indicate that an individual’s behavior can actually be predicted them. These theories are greatly used in the treatment of alcohol abuse and other drugs treatment. Under this theories is one critical one, the health belief model which is very effective (Ashery et al, 1998, p. 43). This model relates the theories of decision making to a person’s perceived capacity to select one option from a number of health behaviors.
The underlying concept behind this is that behaviors are brought about by two major variables; the value an individual attaches to a certain outcome and the person’s approximation of the probability of a certain action eliciting a certain result (Ashery et al, 1998, p. 43). The individual’s motivation to act is based on whether or not that individual expects that he/she will achieve a particular health related outcome (Friedman et al, 2003, p. 67). This model offers the basis of predicting health-related behavior.
Health belief model in treatment of alcohol abuse can be very effective and it focuses on three things;
- Dire consequences from alcohol abuse
- High chances that these consequences will come true
- The efficiency of abstaining or consuming in moderation
These three things greatly affect the behaviors of young drinkers where they considered moderation (Friedman et al, 2003, p. 67). This program has been applied before in colleges and it has worked effectively. To make it even more effective, the program can have wider personal impact when there is great emphasis on the susceptibility of the abusers to alcohol-related problems like accidents and poor relationship with parents (Friedman et al, 2003, p. 69).
To younger people, these problems are more relevant compared to addressing medical issues like cardiovascular problems or psychological issues. The first two principles of susceptibility and severity push the need to have an alcohol education program. The third principle of health belief indicates that alternative behavior will be beneficial in coping with the problem.
When this model challenges the conventional wisdom concerning the inability on knowledge to change behavior, then knowledge of risk of excessive drinking repercussions when well communicated by a credible means, can persuade and therefore be a very good instrument for decreasing the demand which eventually is the most efficient way of cutting drug use.
The Role of Advanced Practice Nurse (APN)
The APN is very crucial in the alcohol abuse program especially when the family intervention is involved. The nurse’s duty has been to show compassion and empathy with teaching and preventing and these skilled can be effectively used in alcohol intervention. The ANA describes the role of the APN as having expanded to the provision of psychotherapy prescription of medication and consultancy services as regulation and statute dictates (American Nurses Association 2000, p. 12).
The APN has the ability based on training and education to offer services like of psychiatric counseling both on short and long term basis to groups and individuals. The nurse is trained on active listening and by this she/he is able to develop the most appropriate therapeutic process that learning and the required results can be obtained (ANA, 2000, p. 12). The relationship that develops between the nurse and the patient leads to development of a step-wise process that seeks to achieve the set goals. At the end, the nurse enables the satisfaction of the patient need of stable emotional and social stability.
Conclusion
The main objections of the promotion and prevention program is; to ensure reduced substance abuse among the young people so as to protect their health and to improve quality of life; to educate the general population so that many of them can disapprove alcohol abuse, especially young people and to increase awareness among the people that they can be able to perceive the risks associated with substance abuse.
Reference List
American Nurses Association (ANA). 2000. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Scope And Standards Of Practice. Washington, DC: American Nurses Publishing.
Ashery, R., Robertson, E., & Kumpfer, K. (1998)(Eds.). Drug Abuse Prevention Through Family Interventions. NIDA Research Monograph 177, NIH Publication, No. 99-4135, pp. 42 – 159.
Brook, J.S., et al., (1990). The Psychological Etiology Of Adolescent Drug Use: A Family Interactional Approach, Genetic, Social & General Psychology Monographs, 116(2), 111-267.
Friedman, M.M., Bowden, V.R., & Jones, E.G. (2003). Family Nursing: Research, Theory, And Practice (5th Ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Knight, J.R., et al. (2002). Alcohol Abuse And Dependence Among U.S. College Students. Journal Of Studies On Alcohol, 56(6), 263-270.
Larimer, M.E & Cronce, J.M. (2002). Identification, Prevention, And Treatment: A Review Of Individual-Focused Strategies To Reduce Problematic Alcohol Consumption By College Students. Journal Of Studies On Alcohol Supplement, 14: 148-163.
Malow, R.M., et al. (2001). Substance-Abusing Adolescents At Varying Levels Of HIV Risk : Psychosocial Characteristics, Drug Use, And Sexual Behavior. Journal Of Substance Abuse, 13,103–117.
Room, R.B. (2005). Alcohol And Public Health. The Lancet, 365(9458), 519-530.