14.11.2022 - Alcohol habits differ between groups. Differences can be seen, for example, between groups with different levels of education and with Swedish and foreign backgrounds. This is the finding of a new report from the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN), which for the first time looks at these factors in relation to drinking patterns.
The results are based on self-reported data from the Monitor surveys, where approx. 320,000 people have participated since 2004.
"There has been some levelling out of drinking patterns since 2004, for example in terms of gender, age and region of residence, although clear differences remain between these groups. Differences in drinking habits are also evident in terms of educational level and foreign background," says Ulf Guttormsson, CAN's head of department.
Compared to the start of the survey in 2004, self-reported annual consumption of alcohol has now fallen by about a quarter. The decline has been relatively gradual.
"Above all, it is men's consumption that has fallen," says Ulf Guttormsson. Despite this, men still drink almost twice as much as women, a full 87% more.
The report further highlights similarities and differences among Sweden's municipalities grouped according to population density and proximity to central locations. One clear finding is that alcohol use is significantly lower in smaller towns/cities. Residents of metropolitan municipalities report the highest proportions of weekly and heavy drinkers.
The survey also shows that people with a foreign background have less extensive drinking habits compared to those with a Swedish background.
Education level is also raised.
"We see a greater proportion who drank alcohol in the last week among people with post-secondary education compared to those with pre-secondary or upper secondary education," says Ulf Guttormsson. This applies to both men and women. Regarding high consumption, however, there is not the same clear connection with the level of education.
Read the report Self-reported alcohol habits in Sweden 2004-2021.
Source: CAN
Education really affects a lot of things. As for alcohol consumption, it is a controversial question whether education has any influence on it, because different situations occur. As a student, I had a very tight schedule and thanks to literature review writers , it became easier for me. But I can say that this did not change my life in terms of alcohol. It all depends on the person, certain situations, and health.