Alcohol and public health - an annotated summary of selected findings of a review article (Room, R., Babor, T., & Rehm, J. (2005). Alcohol and public health. The Lancet, 365(9458), 519-530.)
Abstract
Alcohol has a significant effect on human health, although some of its negative health consequences are not yet widely accepted by the general public and it is a terrible fact that even some doctors are not fully informed about all the consequences of alcohol use on the human health. Tobacco is taken as the imaginary but very real "enemy number 1" from the point of view of public health, but the consumption of alcoholic beverages is also a major issue that public health has to deal with.
The aim of this annotated translation is to familiarize the reader with the basic facts that are presented in the article (Room, Babor & Rehm, 2005). Statements of professors Room, Babor and Rehm on the public health perspective of alcohol and its historical development, health consequences of (ab)use of alcohol and their view on how these statements should influence the professional and political practice are introduced in each section.
Consequently, some possible topics of discussion for our conditions are outlined.