The High Authority for Health Alert on complications associated with alcohol consumption in women, which are amplified, undervalued and not medically accompanied.
- While the alcohol consumption methods of women tend to get closer to male practices, we see that the effects are more severe in the latter.
- According to HAS, they suffer from “a medical undervaluation” and “a lesser access to the aid available.”
- The health authority therefore calls on health professionals to strengthen information and support for women throughout their lives and not only in the context of pregnancy.
Wine, champagne, beer, gin, cider … The more the years pass, the more alcohol consumption in women evolves. The latter is getting closer to male practices in particular for “binge drinking”, which results in a “significant punctual alcoholism” in a very short time, with search for intoxication, also known under the term “of acute alcoholic intoxication” or “massive alcoholism”.
Problem: alcohol, which is an avoidable cause of death, causes damage that can heavily impact health and quality of life. “Now, women and men are not equal in the face of alcohol. If women are exposed to the same risks as men, with the same amount consumed, complications are more serious, faster, sometimes specific (breast cancer) or more frequent in women than in men (assaults suffered, especially sexual)”, report The High Authority for Health (HAS). In addition, the taboo around alcohol is accentuated with women, whose speech is less considered, and gender-related representations lead to a “Medical undervaluation” And “A lesser access to the aid available”.
Alcohol: approach the subject at all stages of women’s life and not only during pregnancy
In the medical sphere, if the subject of alcohol is discussed during pregnancy and maternity, it is not mentioned during all the other stages of women’s lives. However, it is important to talk about it because of its impact on genital life, sexual health, procreation or the risk of breast cancer. In 2023, the health authority thus developed a guide and tools in order to help professionals of first use to reduce the risk of alcohol, via a systematic and early identification of uses and the support of each person. Recently, she published documents to raise awareness of the specifics of women’s exposure to alcohol, beyond periods of pregnancy and maternity. In detail, the HAS reminds health professionals to approach the subject of alcohol regularly in consultation, as is done for smoking or even physical activity. It specifies to ensure that it avoids moral judgment and being attentive to the choice of life, intimacy and environment of each woman.
“Professionals can rely on suitable structures or devices”
“Professionals can rely on adapted structures or devices such as addiction medical microstructures and all times dedicated to women’s health, including in care, support and addiction prevention centers (CSAPA). Speech groups dedicated to women within mutual aid associations also make it possible to fight against isolation and promote sorority and self -confidence. Numériques as the Distance Help ‘Alcohol Info Service’ Public Health France, entirely redesigned in 2024 in order to offer more accessible and customizable content according to its situation and expectations, as well as free tools to get help “, Can we read in the press release.
