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So'iolog( Essa( Using an a))l(ing so'iologi'al *no+lege in Australian
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566ICE USE 5NL7
&
The University of Sydney
Faculty of Health
Alcohol misuse is an important contemporary Australian health issue. It is a preventable issue
that is an underlying factor to many diseases and illnesses. The biomedical and sociological
approaches, although different, must be used in conjunction to address alcohol misuse. Used
separately treatment can prove to be ineffective. Health care workers must use sociological
knowledge to provide effective treatment.
Alcohol misuse involves consuming ecessive amounts alcohol, binge drinking and addictive
habits or a dependence on alcohol. However as alcohol use is embedded into Australian
culture, typically for leisure, an individual can easily misuse alcohol. Alcohol misuse can lead
to injury through alcohol fuelled violence or road!related accidents. Alcohol misuse is also a
risk factor for many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, various cancers, obesity,
cirrhosis of the liver and mental health problems and illnesses, such as depression and aniety
"The #ational Health and $edical %esearch &ouncil '#H$%&(, )**+,. In order to reduce the
risk of mentioned diseases it is only logical to address the issue of alcohol misuse. Alcohol
misuse also represents a considerable societal cost. A recent report estimated that the total
cost to society from alcohol related problems in )*-* was .-/ 01) billion "Australian
Institute of &riminology, )*-0,. This represents costs placed upon the criminal justice and
health systems as well as loss in productivity and traffic accidents. &onse2uently a decrease
in alcohol misuse will result in a better Australian health status and financial position.
3ike many health issues, alcohol misuse can be addressed through a biomedical approach. A
biomedical approach is where health is seen as 4the absence of disease5focuses on diagnosis
and treatment of individual body parts6 "7illis and 8lmer, )*-- p. 0/9,. A biomedical
approach to alcohol misuse is a period of withdrawal or abstinence from alcohol. This allows
time for the body to recover physically, relieve any aniety caused by alcohol and address
withdrawal symptoms in order to encourage healthy drinking habits in the future "#ational
:rug and Alcohol %esearch &entre '#:A%&(, )**0,. ;harmacotherapies can be used to treat
withdrawal symptoms such as aniety, nausea, hyperthermia, hypertension and tremors. A
period of withdrawal can be home!based, outpatient, where the patient attends a clinic or
similar setting or inpatient, such as in a hospital or community residential setting "#:A%&,
)**0 pp.<0!<0,. In all settings patients are supervised face!to!face or through the telephone.
=uch supervision prevents relapse and allows for the administration of medication to relieve
withdrawal signs and symptoms, for eample :ia>epam is and anti!aniety agent
administered.
However a biomedical approach alone is not enough when addressing alcohol misuse, a
sociological approach should also be used. A sociological approach uses the study of society
to identify a relationship between an ever changing society and its impact on the health of a
population. It aims to eplain why a health issue is arising not simply how to treat it. 7hen
using a biomedical approach alone, victim blaming can easily occur. 7illis and 8lmer ")*--,
2
define victim blaming as 4a view that individuals are primarily responsible for their ill
health.6 An individual seen as an alcoholic it is their own fault and should have been able to
show self!control. However such an approach to alcohol misuse will produce little long term
improvement in addressing the issue within the population as a whole. A sociological
approach takes what is an individualised health issue under the biomedical approach, thus
prone to victim blaming, and treats it as a community or population health issue. A
sociological approach would consider what is happening in a patient?s situation and how
social forces are affecting this. @or eample an individual with depression becomes
unemployed causing further stress and aniety. This individual then turns to alcohol to relieve
himself of stress due to the euphoric feeling allowing escape, only resulting in an alcohol
misuse issue. A biomedical treatment may relieve his physical stress from alcohol but it does
not address what has caused his dependence on alcohol. &onse2uently he may relapse and
through victim blaming, this is his own fault. An the other hand taking a sociological
approach, referring the client to job seeking services, counselling and support groups whilst
also using the biomedical approach, would prove more effective. His misuse is seen as a
social issue rather than individualised.
=imilarly within a world where a biomedical approach is dominant an increasing amount of
medicalisation has occurred. 7illis and 8lmer ")*--, define medicalisation as 4the defining
of social issues or natural biological events as medical problems, for which medical treatment
is available.6 The problem with medicalisation of a social issue is the reason behind the
health issue becomes blurred, that is it becomes unclear whether this is a physiological issue
or a social issue. As a result the approach in addressing this issue can become disorientated
and ineffective. Alcohol misuse is addressed through a biomedical approachB however health
care workers must recognise alcohol misuse issues are not acute medical disorders, such as an
infection, where a biomedical approach is usually most effective. %ather health care
professionals must turn away from a purely biologically approach to treating alcohol misuse
and consider environmental forces and causes, still treating alcohol misuse as a social issue
"Humphreys and Tucker, )**), p. -)C,.
=ociological knowledge will greatly assist health care workers when addressing alcohol
misuse. It will encourage health care workers to avoid simply looking at the superficial but
rather analyse the dynamic cultural and societal factors that surrounds individuals and how
these factors impact their eperience of health and illness "7illis and 8lmer, )*--, p. ),.
Alcohol misuse is a health issue where health care workers must put sociological knowledge
in practice. =imply prescribing a withdrawal period, will not effectively address the issue.
Health care workers must be culturally sensitive and socially aware to perceive the underlying
issues resulting in alcohol misuse. @amily strains, financial instability, debt, peer pressure and
the media are all eamples of factors that could influence a patient. Health care workers must
not only address the physical issue but where they possible address the social issue driving
their misuse of alcohol.
'
8vidently alcohol misuse is an important contemporary Australian health issue. It is a
prevalent issue in Australian society and with effective treatment can gradually be addressed.
Alcohol misuse is a health issue that highlights the need for both biomedical and sociological
approaches. 7hen health care workers utilise their sociological knowledge effective
treatment will result.
4
%eference 3ist
Australian Institute of &riminology. ")*-0,. Trends D Issues in crime and criminal justice
"no. /1/,. &anberra, AustraliaE Author
Humphreys, F. D Tucker, G. A. ")**),. Toward more responsive and effective intervention
systems for alcohol!related problems. Addiction, +<E -)C!-0).
5
#ational :rug and Alcohol research &entre. ")**0,. Huidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol
;roblems. &anberra, AustraliaE Author
#ational Health and $edical %esearch &ouncil. ")**+,. Australian Huidelines To %educe
Health %isks from :rinking Alcohol. &anberra, AustraliaE Author
7illis, F. D 8lmer, =. ")*--,. =ociety, &ulture and Health An Introduction to =ociology for
#urses ")
nd
ed., Iictoria, AustraliaE Aford University ;ress