Alcohol consumption

The alcohol factor for hypertension requires consumption of a specified average amount of alcohol per week (at least 300 gm RH/500 gm BOP) for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical onset of hypertension. Similar provisions apply for aggravation of established hypertension.

As part of the investigation of this factor, you will be asked to consider whether VEA service made a material contribution to the consumption of the specified quantity of alcohol for the relevant period. This requires consideration of the following:

• Guideline for claims assessors on smoking and alcohol related conditions and military service and also
• AN02/2000, an Advisory Note concerning Alcohol Habituation

A material contribution by service can be made in a number of ways:

• an amount was consumed during service, as a causal result of service;
• an amount was consumed because of another medical condition, either during service or after service, or both. For example: as part of alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse; or as part of another psychiatric condition; or as "self medication" for a medical condition.

The Repatriation Commission also agreed that arguments put to delegates that are outside the Guideline must still be considered for substance and medical and scientific support. However the Commission did not agree that the temporal connection of service life with alcohol consumption is enough to establish 'habit' as the cause of alcohol use.

"Habituation" is often an argument advanced to connect service conditions with post service alcohol consumption.

A search by the RMA for sound medical scientific evidence bearing on "habituation" revealed only one epidemiological study (as at April 2000) that bears on the 'habituation' issue, that is, whether a "habit" of alcohol drinking continues from the service environment into the community after discharge from service. In fact that paper suggested that not only was there no association with military service there is some evidence that military service produces the opposite effect.

Last reviewed for CCPS 12 March 2008.

Investigative Documents:

Preliminary questions [570]

25686 the veteran has consumed alcohol at some time.

9016   the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and VEA service for hypertension.

9019     the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and VEA service for the clinical onset of hypertension.

9021     the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and operational service for the clinical onset of hypertension.

or

9022     the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and eligible service for the clinical onset of hypertension.

or

7334     the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred after the end of the veteran's last period of VEA service.

7335     the condition under consideration permanently worsened.

9020     the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and VEA service for the clinical worsening of hypertension.

9023     the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and operational service for the clinical worsening of hypertension.

or

9024     the veteran has established the causal connection between the alcohol consumption and eligible service for the clinical worsening of hypertension.

Clinical onset and operational service [9021]

33282 the veteran consumed an average of at least 300 grams of alcohol per week for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

33270 operational service made a material contribution to the requirements of the Statement of Principles for alcohol consumption before the clinical onset of the hypertension.

Clinical onset and eligible service [9022]

33545 the veteran consumed an average of at least 500 grams of alcohol per week for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

33288 eligible service made a material contribution to the requirements of the Statement of Principles for alcohol consumption before the clinical onset of the hypertension.

Clinical worsening and operational service [9023]

33546 the veteran consumed an average of at least 300 grams of alcohol per week after the clinical onset and for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

33281 operational service made a material contribution to the requirements of the Statement of Principles for alcohol consumption before the clinical worsening of the hypertension.

33557 the material contribution by operational service to the consumption of alcohol for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration relates to operational service rendered after the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

Clinical worsening and eligible service [9024]

33547 the veteran consumed an average of at least 500 grams of alcohol per week after the clinical onset and for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

33284 eligible service made a material contribution to the requirements of the Statement of Principles for alcohol consumption before the clinical worsening of the hypertension.

33558 the material contribution by eligible service to the consumption of alcohol for a continuous period of at least the 6 months before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration relates to eligible service rendered after the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.