There are many problems that are caused by drinking too much on one occasion. This includes injury, violence, falls, anti-social behaviour and problems that occur with friends and family.
The National Health and Medical Research Council recommend for healthy men and women, drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion[1].
FACTS AND FIGURES
In Western Australia, there are a large number of people who are hospitalised or die as a result of alcohol-related injuries caused by their own or another's alcohol use. Contrary to popular belief, it is not only young people who experience the problems caused by drinking too much on one occasion.
Did you know?
- Approximately 5,900 people in Western Australia are hospitalised every year due to alcohol-caused injury. The most common alcohol-caused injuries are falls, assaults and road injuries (pedestrian and vehicular).
- In Western Australia, more males (54 per cent of hospitalisations) than females (46 per cent of hospitalisations) are hospitalised per year as a result of alcohol-related injury.
- Every year in Western Australia, there are approximately 38,949 bed-days as a result of alcohol-caused injury.
- There are approximately 147 deaths every year in Western Australia as a result of alcohol-caused injury.
- Suicide and road injuries are the most common alcohol-caused deaths in Western Australia.
- A significantly larger number of males (117) compared to females (30) die as a result of alcohol-caused injury each year in Western Australia.
Source: Epidemiology Branch, Department of Health Western Australia. WA Hospital Morbidity and Mortality Data Systems (2004-2008), ABS Morbidity and Mortality Data (1998-2007). Retrieved on August 3 2010.
[1] National Health and Medical Research Council, 2009.
Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.