Mapping the journey of families navigating problem drinking in South Asia: a scoping review

TL;DR

This scoping review maps the challenges faced by families in South Asia when a family member has problem drinking, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Contribution

The study is the first to systematically map the multifaceted challenges faced by family members in South Asia due to problem drinking.

Findings

Most studies focused on psychological/emotional challenges faced by family members.

Over half of the studies reported physical challenges in families affected by problem drinking.

Adolescent children and spouses were the most studied groups in the context of parental problem drinking.

Abstract

Problem drinking is a serious issue as it affects persons with problem drinking and family members including children, adolescents, spouses, and extended family members, thus affecting the entire family environment. This review aims to explore the evidence regarding challenges faced by family members including adolescent children, spouses, and extended family members due to a person with a problem drinking. The findings from the review will help inform further research to develop interventions for family members and for parents having problem drinking issues.

This scoping review was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework. Six online databases were searched for relevant articles published in English from January 2003 to June 2023. Both quantitative and qualitative studies conducted in South Asia on challenges faced by family members living with either parent/s with problem drinking were included. Challenges were sorted into physical, psychological/emotional, social, and financial, as faced by family members.

Forty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Of the 47 studies, 37 studies described challenges faced by spouses while 10 studies described challenges among adolescent children in households with parental problem drinking. Most studies focused on psychological/emotional challenges while more than half reported physical challenges. Since the scoping review aimed to map the evidence available on challenges faced by family members of a person with problem drinking, data was presented narratively.

This scoping review explored multifaceted challenges and consequences among families affected by a person with problem drinking. The review has provided insights into the complexities of problem drinking leading to disruptive family relationships, poor parenting, emotional vulnerabilities, and psychiatric morbidities. Healthcare professionals need to consider the challenges that affect the family while also considering each individual in the family in managing parental problem drinking.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-22967-y.

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