Lifestyle: Substance abuse

In addition to directly affecting health, dependence on substances also negatively affects the individual’s social behavior. In 2015, 810 people with substance-related problems, i.e. 2.9 users per 1,000 inhabitants aged 15 to 54, were assisted by provincial addiction services (SerDs). Hospital resignations due to drug-related causes in the 15-54-year-old population were 151, 59 access to the emergency room. The WHO estimates that around 9 % of total health costs in the European region are due to alcohol abuse. Alcohol is crucial in increasing the risk for diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers, hypertension, stroke and some congenital malformations. At-risk drinkers (binge drinkers or off-meal drinkers or heavy drinkers) in the Province account for 39.7 % of the population between 18 and 69 years old, and among them 28.5 % drink mainly out of meal, 23.1 % are binge drinkers (consumption of 5 or more alcoholic units in a single time in the last month for men, 4 for women) and 3.3 % is a strong drinker (average consumption over the last 30 days of more than two units per day for men and one for women). Hospital discharges due to alcohol-related causes were 1,214, 890 access to the emergency room. In 2015 they were also assisted by addiction services 278 users for problematic gambling, 125 for drug abuse, 239 for nicotine problems, 380 family members and 176 other users for different reasons.