It's no secret that the economy has been enduring a recession for quite some time now and recent research suggests that more people are drowning their financial sorrows with the help of some alcohol. Previous research once suggested that drinking and binge drinking declined during a bad economy however recent studies indicate otherwise.
The following excerpt is from http://www.psychcenteral.com/. A web site I frequently visit and whose blogs I read daily. One blog in particular captured my attention, written by David McCracken, MA, LPC and discussed the issue of drinking as it relates to a down economy. The following excerpt was taken from this blog:
"Health economist Dr. Michael T. French from the University of Miami and his collaborators found that heavy drinking and alcohol abuse/dependence significantly increase as macroeconomic conditions deteriorate.
The study discovered that binge drinking increased with a rise in the state-level unemployment rate. Driving while intoxicated and alcohol abuse and dependence also increased for both genders and across ethnic groups.
Among the study’s other findings:
•The consequences of the unemployment rate on excessive alcohol consumption was demonstrated for all population subgroups in the study, with African-Americans and those aged between 18 and 24 years displaying the largest binge-drinking effect;
•The number of children in the household and being married is negatively related to alcohol abuse and dependence;
•Binge drinking is more common as the educational level and income of individuals increase.
The new study suggests that service providers for alcohol abuse programs should prepare for an increased demand for their services during an economic downturn. Unfortunately, many economists predict the unemployment rate in the United States will remain high for several years.
Source: Health Economics"
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