Non-governmental organization-workers' experience of alcohol prevention in South Africa

Abstract: Background: Harmful alcohol use is a major problem in South Africa and can lead to diseases such as cancer, liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular diseases. Also, South Africa faces a huge problem with fetal alcohol syndrome as a consequence of mothers drinking during pregnancy. Social consequences of harmful alcohol use might be unemployment, stigmatization, family distruptions and interpersonal violence.  Aim: The aim of the study was to describe South African non-governmental organization-workers' experience of prevention of harmful alcohol consumption.  Method: A qualitative design with seven semi-structured interviews with three non-governmental organizations was used for this study. A qualitative content analysis was applied when analyzing the data. Findings: The findings revealed two main categories: raising awareness and obstacles in raising awareness. It was found that one key preventative action is to educate and inform people about the harms of consuming alcohol. Screening and life skills development were also found to be part of the preventative work when raising awareness. Obstacles in raising awareness were lack of funding and low priority. It was more prioritized to treat alcohol-related diseases at an early stage, rather than focusing on neutralizing risk factors that cause alcohol-related diseases.  Conclusion: The importance of prevention against harmful use of alcohol is emphasized. However, there is a need of more primary prevention strategies to address the problem early on, before it even becomes a problem.