13 theme based polling stations of 149 women managed PSs.
Following the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, a total of 149 women managed polling stations in Jalpaiguri parliamentary constituency.
While 37.6% women agreed that their alcohol consumption has increased, 42.3% women considered their increase more sporadic and occasion based, revealed a survey conducted by an NGO Community against drunken driving (CADD).
According to Road Safety Expert and Activist Prince Singhal, founder CADD, “A survey was carried out among 5000 women to assess if drinking patterns have altered in the last 3 years, especially in light of the pandemic and the stresses it put on individuals and households.”
“Individuals who were quarantined during the SARS epidemic of 2003, used alcohol as a coping mechanism,” stated the survey adding this resulted in alcohol abuse that continued for at least three years after the outbreak.
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Singhal added, “Stressful events correlate with higher levels of alcohol consumption at the population level. The situations during COVID-19 in Inida significantly affected collective mental health. For many people, social disconnection, financial strain, increased obligations in the home and ongoing uncertainty created distress.”
Out of the 5000 women surveyed, reason for increased drinking among women was stress in 45.7 per cent of the cases.
Besides, loss of jobs, incidents of physical and mental abuse also increased during the pandemic, which added to the mental health burden for women during COVID-19.
In addition, change in government policies such as home delivery , swanky stores and BOGO offers, pushed sales, thus increasing availability and consumption in households.
38.1% respondents agreed to consuming alcohol twice a week and for 19.1% it was 4 plus days in a week.
According to a study by NIAAA (National Institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism) USA , 72% of women drinkers experience periods of heavy drinking and if they are not able to move out of it they become problem drinkers .
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