Quarter of NI men report drinking more alcohol than recommended

A quarter of men who responded to a health survey in Northern Ireland reported drinking more than the recommended weekly alcohol limit.

The Department of Health’s Health Survey 2022/23 also revealed that almost a third (31%) of respondents reported having a longstanding physical or mental health condition that reduced their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

The survey found that almost three-quarters of respondents (72%) rated their general health as very good or good.

A fifth of respondents had a high GHQ-12 (general health questionnaire) score, which could indicate a mental health problem. This was significantly lower than the 27% reported in 2020/21.

Men (18%) were less likely than women (22%) to have a high GHQ12 score, the survey said.

Around a third (32%) of respondents reported having concerns about their own mental health in the past year.

Almost a fifth of those who took part in the survey (19%) exhibited signs of loneliness. Respondents living in urban areas and those in the most deprived areas were more likely to exhibit signs of loneliness than those in rural areas and the least deprived areas.

The survey said 14% of those who responded were cigarette smokers, a decrease from 17% in the previous year and down from 24% in 2010/11.

Around one in 10 respondents reported that they used e-cigarettes or vaping devices, up from 7% in 2021/22.

Over three-quarters (77%) of respondents aged 18 and over reported that they drank alcohol at a similar level to the previous year.

A quarter of male respondents and 9% of females reported drinking above recommended weekly limits of 14 units.

Males were more likely than females to report drinking on three or more days per week.

The survey was commissioned by the Department of Health and covered the period April 2022 to March 2023.

The sample size for the survey was 3,582 individuals aged 16 and over.

Dr Donna Mullen, chair of the Addictions Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists Northern, said the findings of the survey came as no surprise.

She also said that it showed the need for minimum unit pricing of alcohol to be implemented in Northern Ireland.

She added: “They tell us what we already know, that people are drinking way above the recommended limits for alcohol.

“We currently have high levels of alcohol specific deaths in Northern Ireland – which is a situation that cannot continue.

“It’s clear there needs to be a robust public health approach to alcohol.

“The minimum unit pricing – which has had some success in Scotland – needs to be implemented here as soon as possible.”