A global review of the impact on women from men's alcohol drinking: the need for responding with a gendered lens.

BACKGROUND: Global evidence shows that men's harmful alcohol use contributes to intimate partner violence (IPV) and other harms. Yet, interventions that target alcohol-related harms to women are scarce. Quantitative analyses demonstrate links with physical and verbal aggression; however, the specific harms to women from men's drinking have not been well articulated, particularly from an international perspective. AIM: To document the breadth and nature of harms and impact of men's drinking on women. METHODS: A narrative review, using inductive analysis, was conducted of peer-reviewed qualitative studies that: (a) focused on alcohol (men's drinking), (b) featured women as primary victims, (c) encompassed direct/indirect harms, and (d) explicitly featured alcohol in the qualitative results. Papers were selected following a non-time-limited systematic search of key scholarly databases. RESULTS: Thirty papers were included in this review. The majority of studies were conducted in low- to middle-income countries. The harms in the studies were collated and organised under three main themes: (i) harmful alcohol-related actions by men (e.g. violence, sexual coercion, economic abuse), (ii) impact on women (e.g. physical and mental health harm, relationship functioning, social harm), and (iii) how partner alcohol use was framed by women in the studies. CONCLUSION: Men's drinking results in a multitude of direct, indirect and hidden harms to women that are cumulative, intersecting and entrench women's disempowerment. An explicit gendered lens is needed in prevention efforts to target men's drinking and the impact on women, to improve health and social outcomes for women worldwide.

Main findings: Women experience a multitude of direct, indirect and hidden harms from a male intimate partner's alcohol drinking, particularly in LMIC settings.Added knowledge: This review consolidates global qualitative evidence from diverse women's lived experience and adds a broader understanding of harm from men's alcohol drinking, beyond physical and verbal abuse shown in quantitative evidence.Global health impact for policy and action: Policy and intervention efforts that take an explicit gendered and intersectional lens on men's harmful drinking have potential to greatly improve health and social outcomes for women globally.

The burden of alcohol-related caring for others in Australia in the 2021 pandemic period.

OBJECTIVE: The magnitude of caring for others due to excessive alcohol use is unclear in Australia and internationally. This study explores the prevalence, sociodemographic predictors, and consequences of informal care for others due to alcohol use. METHOD: A survey on harm from others' drinking was conducted among 2,574 Australian adults in November 2021 from national random digit dial and "Life in Australia" panel samples to elicit representative data. Respondents who indicated they had "heavy drinker/s" in their lives (n= 1,585), were asked about their experience of caring for these drinkers and their dependents in the last 12 months. Weighted logistic and linear regressions examined a) sociodemographic factors associated with informal care due to others' drinking, and b) the impact of the caregiving burden on caregiver's financial status, overall health, and quality of life. RESULTS: Overall, 20% of participants reported caregiving responsibilities arising from others' drinking. Older age, unemployment, residing in capital cities and reporting birth in a non-English speaking background country were associated with a reduced likelihood of caregiving, whereas higher education and more frequent risky drinking were associated with an increased likelihood. Caregivers reported significantly higher financial disadvantage, a lower quality of life and poorer overall health. CONCLUSIONS: One in five adults reported caring for drinkers in the previous 12 months, with this associated with negative consequences for those providing care. Service providers, health promotion practitioners and policy makers should focus upon younger age groups, those who live in regional areas, and those born in Australia who are at greater risk of being burdened by caregiving due to others' alcohol use.