Læknablaðið - 01.04.1979, Page 92

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LÆKNABLAÐIÐ
health care in the communifcy. This takes place
mainly through a network of municipal health
centers and related health activities which are
guided and supported through a national
mechanism of planning and financing. Primary
health care is still only partly understood and
increasing awareness of the importance of pro-
motive heath efforts is needed to improve the
situation. The first years since the passing of
The Primary Health Act have largely meant
learning to handle the mechanisms for planning
and administration and now the time has come
to develop and diversify the health center
functions in order to improve primary health.
This process is facilitated by improved coopera-
tion and integration with environmental health
and social services as well as through coopera-
tion between health authorities, other sectors
of municipal and central governmental as well
as citizens and their organizations.
CONFERENCE ON PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS OF
ALCOHOL AND DRUG DEPENDENCE*
Dubrovnik, 21.—25. August 1978
SUMMARY REPORT
Introduction
The Conference, convened in collaboration
with the Government of Yugoslavia, was
attended by psychiatrists, sociologists, psycho-
logists and public health administrators from
26 Member States of the WHO European
Region as well as representatives of govern-
mental an nongovernmental international
agencies active in the prevention of alcohol
and drug abuse.
The countries have been concerned about
alcohol and drug obuse for over a century, yet
it is still a major public health preoccupation
in the Region. In particular there is concern
over the rise in overall consumption of alcohol,
exacerbating the alcohol-related problems now
faced. To support member states in this field,
the WHO Regional Office has established a
long-term mental health programme with pro-
vision for action each year from 1970 to 1980.
Epidemiology is of major interest in the pro-
gramme because of its importance for etiology
and prevention; but treatment and rehabilita-
tion have also received much attention.
The Conference reviewed the publie health
measures taken in different parts of the Region
and the prospects for improved coordination
of the efforts made by community, sociai, edu-
cational and health services. Emphasis was
given to consideration of the epidemiological
and preventive aspects of health education and
control, and to development of warning indi-
cators of high-risk situations requiring con-
certed action by different agencies.
Tojncs
Since 1950 there has been a startling growth
in consumption of alcohol in the countries of
the Region — in some cases of over 300 per
cent and it is clear from evidence presented
* Frá heilbrigðisstjórninni.
to the Conference that there has been an
accompanying increase in the range of medical
and social problems due to alcohol. There has
also been a rise in drug-related problems.
These facts are causing considerable anxiety
among public health administrators and to all
other staff of the medical and social services.
Thus the participants were unanimous in
advocating that all known measures for limit-
ing the consumption of alcohol and illicit
drugs should be applied, having regard to their
feasibility in political and social terms in each
country. One such measure that was discussed
is control of the availability of alcohol, e.g.,
by specification of the hours and places of
legally permitted consumption, adjustment of
price and tax levels to ensure that aleohol
does not continue to grow cheaper in real
terms and control of advertising. The partici-
pants emphasized the urgent need to explore
effective measures for prevention and control
of the consumption of alcohol in view of the
magnitude of the problems it causes and the
lack of controls as compared with the legal
restrictions on illicit drug use which already
exist in all countries.
The need was stressed for education on
alcohol and drug problems in all sections of
the community. Such education should start
early in life, be continuous throughout the
school programme and involve the family and
the whole community so as to foster a favour-
able attitude to the introduction of control
measures.
It was agreed that the treatment of alcohol
and drug abuse should be multidisciplinary in-
volving personnel in every facet of the medical
and social services as well as the voluntary and
self-help organizations, to provide a comphre-
hensive range of services.
Finally, attention was drawn to the necessity