More needs to be done to help Scots in rural areas struggling with alcohol addiction, campaigners say, as a new report sheds light on the experiences of people seeking help outside of Scotland’s cities.  

Living in a small community where privacy can be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain is among the ‘unique and significant’ barriers to accessing addiction support in remote and rural areas, according to the report.

Around 17% of Scots – approximately 850,000 – live rurally.

Published by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), Rural Matters also identifies expensive, lengthy and infrequent public transport links and limited internet access as the factors stopping people getting help for harmful drinking.

On average, 22 people per week die from a cause wholly attributable to alcohol in Scotland.

“These are deaths that are preventable,” says Jackie MacDiarmid, SHAAP Research and Projects Officer and author of the report.

“Alcohol use remains a major public health challenge in Scotland, and carries risks of physical and mental health problems, as well as broader social and economic harms.”

People with experience of alcohol problems and their family members described the stigma they encountered through health services from GPs, A&E staff and others.

Some cited situations where they felt their care was even delayed or compromised because of their reputation as someone with an alcohol problem.

Key recommendations from the report include investing in both public transport links and broadband, so that online services can be offered to people where appropriate.

To combat the effects of stigma, the report calls for investment in social spaces that do not provide or market alcohol, as well as funding for recovery communities to provide safe, alcohol-free spaces and programmes in rural areas.

Jackie MacDiarmid said: “There are also significant inequalities by area of deprivation when it comes to alcohol-specific death rates and alcohol-related hospital stays.

“Given that the experience of poverty in rural areas may differ from urban centres, it is important that we understand the specific challenges facing these communities when it comes to alcohol consumption, and access to services, support and recovery.

“We are delighted that the Rural Matters report is able to contribute to the understanding of this important topic”.

The findings come from community consultations and interviews with healthcare professionals, service providers, recovery community members and others.

Lindsay Paterson, Interim Director of SHAAP, said: “This important report highlights the challenges that people living in rural areas can face when accessing services and support for alcohol issues, and the importance of investing in solutions that can be responsive to the specific needs of these communities.

“In line with much of our other work, this report also demonstrates how much work still needs to be done to combat the stigma that many people dealing with alcohol issues face when seeking help and support, and the need for funding and support for alcohol-free spaces and programmes, in this case in rural areas”.

 

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