Country Profile - Portugal

In Portugal, alcohol related problems have never been a priority because they are not a matter of political concern. However, Regional Alcohology Centres have now been created as a result of co-operation between Portugal and the World Health Organization in regard to the European Alcohol Action Plan. These are bringing specialist skills to bear on alcohol-related problems.

The existence of these Centres and also the Portuguese Alcohology Society has created enthusiasm for the subject which has been sustained by the congresses and symposia they have provided for professionals in health and in education. The Centres hold two or three congresses a year.

In addition, and arising from one of the most important concerns in the creation of the Centres, close relations with the Education Regional Directorates were established and annual training for teachers on alcohology organised following the Education for Health Programmes.

The Centres, in partnership with the General Clinic Institutes and the Health Sub-Regions, produced protocols on training in alcohology for health workers.

The Oporto Regional Alcohology Centre has established strong links with industry and provided training in the workplace. It has also advised on the production of workplace alcohol policies.

The Centres also publish bulletins to keep professionals up to date with developments in the field of alcohology.

In 1995 Portugal decided to make the reduction of alcohol related problems a priority and to ensure that the training of teachers at all levels of education reflected this.

Post-graduate courses:

• A number of courses on alcohology have been developed, some by the psychiatry departments of hospitals and some by private educational institutions, for example the Universidade Popular do Porto, sometimes in cooperation with Regional Alcohology Centres.

Much remains to be done. In particular:

• The Regional Centres and the Portuguese Alcohology Society should ensure the practical application of the knowledge of professionals in this area
• Knowledge of alcohol related problems in should be included in the curriculum for training in medicine, nursing, social work, nutrition, psychology, and other relevant disciplines;
• Informative material should be produced for professionals working in the field;

As far as training is concerned, there should be co-operation between the alcohol industry and those working in the prevention of alcohol related problems.

Dr J. Barrias & Dr P. Dias