Drinkaware attended the National Ploughing Championships 2024 last week in Ratheniska where we handed out resources and spoke to the public about alcohol facts and harmful drinking. Attending events such as these allows us to educate and inform adults who consume alcohol but may not have the information required as to what constitutes harmful drinking.
After attending Europe’s largest outdoor agricultural trade exhibition, it sparked a need to address specific communities, such as farmers, who experience unique challenges related to alcohol consumption.
Farming and alcohol
Farming is a high-pressure occupation with unique lifestyle stressors and farmers facing multiple physical and behavioural health issues (O’Connor et al. 2023; Proctor & Hopkins 2023).
Irish research found that weekly drinking rates are lower in farming men than the general population (Van Doorn et al. 2020). Overall, O’Connor and colleagues (2023) found in more recent Irish research that 43% of Irish farmers reported moderate alcohol use, while 28% abstain from drinking. However, this study also identified that almost 1 in 3 (29%) of Irish farmers reported harmful alcohol use, with age being an important risk factor particularly among younger farmers (O’Connor et al 2023). ‘Younger’ farmers (<45 years) were previously found to be more likely to engage in harmful health behaviours such as ‘binge-drinking’ and smoking one or more times per week (Van Doorn et al 2018). O’Connor and colleagues (2023) found that farmers in full-time education reported higher alcohol use than those with no off-farm role.
Farmers in a recent qualitative report conducted in the US identified alcohol use as a primary coping strategy to deal with stressors associated with a farming lifestyle including financial, work-life balance, physical health disconnect from non-farming populations (Proctor & Hopkins 2023).
Research specifically focusing n young farmers is lacking and Rose and colleagues (2024) therefore examined the mental wellbeing of young farmers in Ireland and the UK. The impact of socialisation and time off the farm, and sexism/misogyny affecting young female farmers, were specifically identified as factors affecting young farmers wellbeing (Rose et al. 2024).
The 2023 Drinkaware Barometer found that across the adult population, typical binge drinking peaks among men, with almost 1 in 3 male drinkers (32%) reporting doing so (35% in 2022, 31% in 2021, 27% in 2020). In contrast, 19% of female drinkers reported having 6 or more standard drinks on a single occasion on a typical day when drinking the past 30 days, while 21% of 65+ year olds reported doing so. Overall, just over 1 in 4 drinkers (26%) now engage in binge drinking when they drink. 56% of people who drink have engaged in binge drinking in the past 30 days an increase of 10% when compared to 2020 (46%). 18% of adults report not drinking (this encompasses 9% not in the past 30 days, 9% never drink alcohol). This rises to over 1/5 of adults aged 65+ years with 23% of adults in this age cohort not drinking. 55% cited coping reasons as a motivation for drinking in the past 30 days in 2023, with younger adults over indexing (66% 18-24 year olds and 64% of 25-34 year olds).
The 2023 Barometer also uncovers several positive indicators which have been growing steadily year-on-year in relation to cultural attitudes and expectancies regarding alcohol in Ireland (while challenges still remain), including:
- Over 1 in 3 (36%) of adults now agree they would like to drink alcohol less often, the highest such incidence in the Barometer to date.
- 41% say they have made small positive changes to their drinking habits in the past 30 days, again the highest such incidence in the Barometer to date and over one quarter (27%) of adults would like someone that they live with to drink less. These sentiments all peak amongst those aged under 25 years and binge drinkers. For instance, 54% of 18–24-year-olds say they would like to drink less often, 57% have made small positive changes and 45% would like someone they live with to drink less. Similarly, binge drinkers are more likely to agree with the three statements with 46% wanting to drink less often as well as having made small positive changes and 34% wanting someone they live with drink less. In addition, those that report increased consumption in the past 12 months are also more likely to want to drink less often (59%).
- Sentiments relating to health and personal finances are the most prominent in influencing adults to drink less when asked.
- 30% of adults now agree that ‘Irish drinking culture has changed for the better since COVID-19′, rising to over one third of 65+ year olds (37%).
- However, on attitudes to drink driving, overall, 86% of adults believe that any amount of alcohol impairs your ability to drive (vs 87% in 2022), while young adults report lower levels of agreement (77%).
Rural areas and alcohol
Individuals living in rural areas are at increased risk of experiencing alcohol-related harms. This is despite evidence that those in rural communities are more likely to abstain from alcohol (Friesen et al 2022, Miller et al 2010 as cited in Davis & O’Neill 2022).
Qualitative research conducted in Scotland highlights several factors that may exacerbate alcohol harms for those living in remote and rural communities such as isolation, lack of recreational activities, lack of transport links, strong economic and cultural ties to alcohol and heightened stigma due to the nature of living in a small community where ‘everyone knows each other’s business’ (MacDiarmid 2020).
The Drinkaware Barometer 2023 identified higher levels of weekly+ drinking in urban areas (62%) compared with those living in rural areas (52%) (overall 59%) (in line with Van Doorn et al. 2020 general population vs farmers, see above). Binge drinking levels were also higher in urban areas with ‘typical’ binge drinking rates of 27% in urban areas vs 23% in rural areas (26% overall among current drinkers). In addition, in terms of frequency of any binge drinking in past 30 days, 57% of those adults living in urban areas who drink have engaged in binge drinking in the past 30 days, vs 54% in rural areas (56% overall among current drinkers).
Notes
*Binge drinking definition – According to the World Health Organisation, Heavy episodic drinking is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers (aged 15 and older) who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. An intake of 60 grams of pure alcohol is approximately equal to 6 standard alcoholic drinks. Consuming six or more standard drinks of alcohol in one sitting is classified as binge drinking or excessive drinking.
*Barometer – A quota-controlled sampling procedure was utilised to deliver a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults (n=1012). Online surveys were conducted by Ipsos B&A in July – August 2023. The Barometer has been conducted by Ipsos B&A on behalf of Drinkaware on seven different occasions over the last seven years, namely January 2017, June 2017, January 2018, April 2019, April 2020, May 2021, and June 2022. We also conducted a Drinkaware Index in conjunction with Ipsos B&A during 2018 that comprehensively analysed hazardous drinking in Ireland and was published in May 2019. Pre-COVID-19 data is important in highlighting factors that precede changes in drinking patterns. Collectively, extensive data gathered since commencement of the Barometer series in 2017 allows for an annual examination of drinking practices over time and how they relate to other practices within daily life.
References
Davis, CN, & S.E. O’Neill SE (2022) Treatment of Alcohol Use Problems Among Rural Populations: a Review of Barriers and Considerations for Increasing Access to Quality Care. Curr Addict Rep. 9(4):432-444.
Drinkaware Barometer 2023
Drinkaware 2022 Key findings
Mac Diarmid, J. (2020) Rural matters. Understanding alcohol use in rural Scotland: findings from a qualitative research study. Edinburgh: Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems.
O’Connor, S. et al. (2023) Disordered alcohol and substance use in Irish farmers: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Rural Health, early online
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jrh.12783?af=R
Proctor, C. & N. Hopkins (2023) Stressors and Coping Strategies in Rural Farmers: A Qualitative Study, Journal of Agromedicine, 28:3, 415-424.
Rose, D.C. et al. (2024)
Van Doorn, D. et al. (2020) Farmers Have Hearts Cardiovascular Health Programme—Detailed Baseline Report.
Van Doorn, D. et al.(2018) Farming characteristics and self-reported health outcomes of Irish families. Occupational Medicine, 28 (3).