The Impacts on Families from Alcohol Drinking among Alcoholic Patients who Received Treatment from Hospitals in Songkhla Province

Abstract

This research aims to study impacts on families from alcohol drinking among alcoholic patients who received treatment from inpatient and outpatient departments at hospitals in Songkhla province. The study focused on impacts on quality of life, impacts on health conditions; physical and mental health, burden of care and impacts on children under supervision. The study included qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were collected through questionnaires from 348 patients, and a structured interview to interview 87 patients’ family members during September 2017 – September 2018. The results showed that the family members had been verbally abused by the patients and ever felt so uncomfortable until they did not want to pay attention to the patients. The impacts of the burden of care for the patients in a 12-month period were found that the family members had to take care of themselves and be responsible for household expenses without any help from the patients In addition, they had to take care of the patients and occasionally needed to take some time off from work. In an aspect of impacts on children under supervision, it was found that the children were psychologically affected because they perceived tensions and saw incidents of violence from quarrels within the family
However, the research findings revealed that the patients’ family members received impacts on several dimensions. Therefore, provincial health departments, related government agencies including community groups should have a campaign to educate people about the harm of drinking on health conditions and its impacts on family members and others. This can give people a clear picture of the consequences of heavy drinking and encourage them to realize the dangers of drinking.