Assessing the Effects of Parental Alcoholism on the Well-being of the Family: A Case of Lusaka District

Alcoholism in Lusaka District is increasing on a daily basis and social vices arising from it can evidently be seen. Such vices as unprotected sexual activity, physical and sexual assault, problems at school, legal problems, disruption of normal growth and sexual development, higher risk for suicide and homicide, alcohol-related car crashes and other unintended injuries (CDC, 2006). Alcoholism has been found to be related to the development of serious illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neuropsychiatric disorders, and cirrhosis of the liver (Hammerstein and Ncheka, 2017). The main objective of the study was to assess the effects of parental alcoholism on the wellbeing of the family in Lusaka District. A descriptive research design was used to conduct the study, employing purposive and non-probability sampling to determine the sample size. The target population were former alcoholics and family members for former alcoholics drawn from an association for former alcoholics called the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and also from former alcoholics belonging to the Holy Ghost Arena, a religious organization. Interviews were conducted with Eighty (80) former alcoholics and Forty (40) family members of former alcoholics. The major tool for collecting data was a self-administered questionnaire. The study found that parental alcoholism negatively affected the well-being of the family in Lusaka District. It was also found that parental alcoholism affected individuals as well as the community. Causes of parental alcoholism were attributed to the need to get relief from the pressures of life and stress, lack of employment, lack of recreational facilities, high number of drinking places and production of illicit beer in Lusaka district and harsh economic conditions coupled with socio-cultural change. The study recommended that in order to address and reduce the problem of parental alcoholism in Lusaka district there is need to ensure that there is a reduction in the numbers of drinking places as well as to prohibit the production of illicit alcohol, increasing the price of alcohol, establish recreational facilities for people to go to, provide people with soft loans to engage in income generating activities and lastly that bars should only be allowed to operate for a few hours in a day.