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World Studies Extended Essay (graded A) - Health and Development - Biology and Psychology $11.01
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World Studies Extended Essay (graded A) - Health and Development - Biology and Psychology

9 reviews
 26 purchases
  • Course
  • World studies EE
  • Institution
  • International Baccalaureate

This is the final EE submitted to the IBO for the May '19 exam session. I was given an A for this essay, and achieved a total score of 44 for my diploma.

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Document information

  • April 11, 2020
  • 25
  • 2018/2019
  • Essay
  • Unknown
  • Unknown

Subjects

  • extended essay
  • world studies
  • ibdp
  • biology
  • psychology
  • health and development
  • ib
  • international baccalaureate
  • ee
  • ia

Written for

  • International Baccalaureate
  • Extended Essay
  • World studies EE
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The Effects of Genetics in Regards to
Alcohol Digestion and the Positive
Sociocultural Perception of Alcohol
Consumption on Alcoholism in South
Korea



“To what extent do genetics related to alcohol digestion and
sociocultural factors such as the popular drinking culture,
affect alcohol consumption in the South Korean
population?”




World Studies Extended Essay
Health and Development
Biology and Psychology


Word Count: 3949

, 1


Table of Contents


Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------ 2


Genetics and Alcoholism --------------------------------------------- 6


Alcohol Digestion in the Human Body and the Significance of Aldehyde 6
Dehydrogenase (ALDH) and Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH)


Genetic Characteristics of Alcohol Rejection in East Asians 7


Ethnic Variation of Alcohol Digestion in Koreans Specifically 8


Social Pressure and Drinking Culture and Alcoholism ----------- 12


Alcohol Perception in Korean Culture and Korean Cultural Characteristics 12


Alcohol Consumption in the Workplace: the “Hweshik” Culture 13


Alcohol Consumption in Korean College Students and Teenagers 15


Conclusion and Discussion ------------------------------------------- 18


Bibliography ------------------------------------------------------------ 21

, 2


Introduction




Alcohol use disorders, AUDs, or alcoholism are a global phenomenon with more and

more cases of AUDs being reported across countries. In contrast to other addictive disorders,

AUDs are distinct in a sense that, in most parts of the world, patients can access the psychoactive

substance they’re addicted to, easily and legally. According to data provided by the World

Health Organization’s “Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018”, of the 173 countries

that responded to the WHO’s Global Survey on Alcohol and Health in 2016, only 11 have

complete prohibition of alcohol. More surprisingly, 43% of the countries have no national policy

on alcohol whatsoever.

High levels of alcohol consumption may lead to several alcohol related disorder such as

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD, alcoholic liver disease, and alcoholic pancreatitis.

(Alcohol Metabolism: An Update) Because of the consequent health problems that result from

prolonged alcohol consumption and the accessibility of alcohol, alcohol use disorders are a threat

to the health of the global population. According to the WHO, 5.3% of deaths worldwide result

from the use of alcohol and is the cause of 13.5% of deaths in the 20 – 39 year age group.

AUD is a significant problem worldwide, specifically in South Korean society. South

Korea has the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the world and alcohol abuse is quite

prevalent in modern day Korean society. Personally, I have seen friends become active alcohol

consumers when they enter college and I also come from a very “alcohol loving” family. Both of

, 3


my grandfathers died of liver cancer and I know that Korea has one of the highest rates of liver

cancer in the world. I think that this topic, alcoholism in South Korea, is a significant topic of

research because rising levels of alcohol consumption in any country are a threat.




Figure 1 Ferdman, Quartz


According to data analyzed by Euromonitor in 2014, South Koreans drink, on average,

13.7 shots of liquor per week which is about three times as much as the Japanese, with 4.4 shots

per week, and about nine times more than the Chinese, with 1.5 shots per week. South Korea,

which has the legal drinking age of 19, also came in 6th in the number of liver cancer incidents in

, 4


the data analysis done by the World Cancer Research Fund International in 2012. In the same

data analysis, China came in 7th and Japan did not even rank in the top 20.

The purpose of this analysis is to explain high rates of alcohol consumption in the South

Korean population by looking into ethnically specific genetic characteristics of the population

and societal acceptance and encouragement of alcohol consumption, specific to South Korean

culture. This will be done by exploring the research question, “To what extent do genetics related

to alcohol digestion and sociocultural factors such as the popular drinking culture, affect alcohol

consumption in the South Korean population?”

In comparison to neighboring East Asian countries such as China and Japan, South Korea

has significantly higher statistics of alcohol consumption despite the fact that the three countries

share similar genetic characteristics. Thus, there must be a sociocultural factor that encourages

alcohol consumption that counter acts the alcohol rejection mechanism provided by the

population’s genetic ethnic characteristics. Ethnic genetic traits specific to Koreans, inhibit the

chances of an individual of the Korean ethnicity consuming heavy amounts of alcohol in

comparison to other ethnic groups, such as Caucasians. However social influences within the

South Korean society amplifies the chances of high alcohol consumption. Thus, the genetic

factors of the population influence the population’s inclination towards alcohol consumption to a

smaller degree than the sociocultural factors.

In this essay, I will be discussing genetic factors that affect alcohol consumption in the

South Korean population by analyzing relevant research and giving basic background

information, such as the importance of genetics in alcohol digestion and ethnic specific genetic

, 5


traits that prevent or act against the chances of alcoholism. I will discuss the social aspect of

alcoholism in South Korea by looking into different parts of the culture where heavy drinking is

encouraged. Some examples are the “hweshik” culture in corporate settings, or drinking parties,

and the drinking culture amongst Korean college students, and the shifting cultural dimensions of

the Korean society.

The aim of this essay is to evaluate two contrasting factors influencing a specific

population’s inclination towards alcohol consumption by an extensive literature review to give

an insight into what may cause a population-wide health problem, such as alcoholism.

Furthermore, the essay attempts to suggest a broader scope of where the solution of this global

health problem may lie. By doing so, it aims to establish that addictive disorders, such as

alcoholism, are indeed a societal and a global phenomenon that require global awareness.

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