Alcohol dependence in Portugal has increased by almost 50% in the last decade, but demand for services has remained stable, the Portuguese Society of Alcoholics warned today, arguing that greater intervention is needed to detect these patients and treat them.
Citing data from the survey of the general population, promoted by the Intervention Service in Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (SICAD), Joana Teixeira told the Lusa agency that the prevalence of alcohol dependence increased from 3% in 2012 to 4,2% in 2022.
Despite this increase of almost 50%, the demand for services has remained “relatively stable in recent years”, which indicates that “it is not being properly monitored by the signaling [of cases] and due referral to the structures”, said the psychiatrist, who was speaking to Lusa about the conference “Alcoology in time of change”, promoted by SPA, which takes place on Thursday and Friday at the Centro Hospitalar Psiquiátrico de Lisboa (CHPL).
For Joana Teixeira, there must be simultaneously a reinforcement of treatment structures, «which have not been adequately resourced in recent years», and «a greater capacity for intervention when the disease is effectively established».
“We have to detect these patients and treat them”, to avoid an increase in diseases attributable to alcohol, such as liver cirrhosis and some neoplastic diseases.
The coordinator of the CHPL Alcoholology and New Addictions Unit, however, noted an improvement in the detection of these cases and in referrals by some health centers, but this is still less than desirable.
He therefore defended the need to provide the country and health with resources, «not only in prevention campaigns, but also in treatment campaigns».
Although the majority of patients with alcohol dependence continue to be men (80%), there is an increase in alcohol consumption among women and young people.
«In young people, not only has consumption increased in quantity, but it has also increased at younger ages», he highlighted, warning that «any alcohol consumption at this stage is very harmful to health», because they do not yet have a fully functioning nervous system. formed.
She also expressed concern about the number of drivers with excess alcohol involved in road accidents, defending an incentive for prevention campaigns and an increase in inspection: «Only in this way can we actually see any repercussions, later, in practice».
Regarding the theme of the congress, Joana Teixeira explained that SPA considers itself to be at a time of “change” with the creation of the Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (ICAD) that will replace SICAD.
«The year 2023 has been marked by the reorganization of the structure of services, addictive behaviors and dependencies and the Society believes that this is really an opportunity to improve intervention in the area of problems related to alcohol», he added.
For Joana Teixeira, the creation of ICAD demonstrates that «there is indeed a desire to improve the approach to the problem of addictive behaviors and dependencies in Portugal», noting that in the last 20 years alcohol consumption in Portugal has remained stable, which indicates that more needs to be done.
«Seventy-five percent of the Portuguese population has consumed alcoholic beverages and this figure has remained stable over the last 20 years. Therefore, this shows that there is something that needs to be done a little better», he defended.
The president of SPA hopes that the congress will promote «a discussion that is productive for everyone and that can even be used to benefit the future of alcoholology in Portugal» and also in the reorganization of services that is being carried out.
Several experts will be present at the congress, including the general director of SICAD, João Goulão.
Comments