BACKGROUND: Alcohol can harm both drinkers and their human environment. Most of research in Chile has focused on the drinker. This work focuses on the damage to others. Governmental expenditures due to drinking are estimated to quadruple the income earned through taxation.
AIM: To report the results of a population survey conducted in Chile in 2013 to assess the harm done to others from drinking by a known or unknown drinker. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A household survey of a sample of 1500 subjects living in urban areas, predominantly over 50.000 inhabitants, was conducted by trained interviewers.
RESULTS: A significant number of respondents reported that the effect of alcohol consumption by third parties was somewhat (18.7%) or very negative (14.8%). The most frequent negative effects were verbal abuse (37.4%), being bullied (17.4%), feeling fearful at home or in a private meeting (19.6%) and family problems (16.9%).
CONCLUSIONS: About one third of Chileans surveyed have suffered negative effects due to alcohol consumption of a known or unknown drinker. This finding signals the need of designing public policies addressed to minimize or prevent collateral effects of drinking.