Why be Concerned about Women and Alcohol  

There are at least four good reasons: <UL><LI>A lot of information about alcohol is based on men, despite some important differences in the way alcohol affects women and men. Women's bodies are affected more, and harmed more than men's bodies<BR><BR><LI>In New Zealand more women are drinking. The amount of alcohol consumed by women each year is increasing. Eighty-five percent (85%) of women in New Zealand drink some alcohol each year. Ten percent (10%) of these women drink every day. <BR><BR><LI>Overall young women are drinking more each year. However this overall increase is complex, and hides two very different patterns: 1. most young women are not drinking at all, which means that 2. the women who are drinking, are drinking a lot more. This is often by consuming large amounts of alcohol in one go. <BR><BR><LI>For many different reasons, women find it difficult to ask for help. </LI></UL>A 2000 survey by the Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit found that 7% of women reported fiv

There are at least four good reasons:

• A lot of information about alcohol is based on men, despite some important differences in the way alcohol affects women and men. Women's bodies are affected more, and harmed more than men's bodies
  
  
• In New Zealand more women are drinking. The amount of alcohol consumed by women each year is increasing. Eighty-five percent (85%) of women in New Zealand drink some alcohol each year. Ten percent (10%) of these women drink every day.
  
  
• Overall young women are drinking more each year. However this overall increase is complex, and hides two very different patterns: 1. most young women are not drinking at all, which means that 2. the women who are drinking, are drinking a lot more. This is often by consuming large amounts of alcohol in one go.
  
  
• For many different reasons, women find it difficult to ask for help.

A 2000 survey by the Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit found that 7% of women reported five or more problems related to their drinking (this is nearly a 50% increase from 4% in 1995).

The problems included forgetting what they'd done when they were drinking; feeling the effects of alcohol while working, studying or doing housework; feeling ashamed of what they'd done while they were drinking; and getting drunk when they needed to stay sober. There was a marked increase in the proportion of 16 -17 year old women experiencing five or more problems, from 14% in 1995 to 30% in 2000.