Report on Public Health Advocacy and Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Lulu’s Memoir

Introduction

This report analyzes the recent disclosures by Scottish singer Lulu regarding her history of alcoholism, as detailed in her new memoir, “If You Only Knew.” Her public testimony provides a significant case study for understanding the intersection of public health, personal well-being, and several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report will focus primarily on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), while also examining connections to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (Target 3.5)

The subject’s experience directly addresses SDG Target 3.5, which aims to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including the harmful use of alcohol. Her narrative provides critical insights into the progression and management of alcoholism.

• Disclosure and Seeking Treatment: At age 65, the subject openly acknowledged her condition to her family, a pivotal step that led to seeking professional help in 2013. This action underscores the importance of supportive social structures in initiating recovery.
• Formal Recovery Process: The subject’s treatment involved a six-week rehabilitation program in the United States, followed by a long-term commitment to Alcoholics Anonymous. This highlights the necessity of structured, sustained support systems for long-term sobriety, which is now approaching 12 years.
• “High-Functioning” Alcoholism: The subject identified as a “highly functioning alcoholic,” maintaining a professional career, including participation in the 2011 series of “Strictly Come Dancing,” while privately struggling with alcohol dependency. This illustrates a challenging aspect of substance abuse detection and intervention, where external indicators of distress may be absent.

Mental Health and Public Disclosure

By sharing her story, the subject contributes to reducing the stigma associated with alcoholism and mental health challenges, a core component of promoting overall well-being under SDG 3.

• Emotional Impact: The initial disclosure was accompanied by feelings of shame, fear, and anxiety, common barriers that prevent individuals from seeking help.
• Liberation Through Honesty: The subject describes the act of public disclosure as “liberating,” aligning with recovery principles that “you’re only as sick as your secrets.” This advocacy helps normalize conversations around addiction and encourages others to seek support.

Interconnected Social Challenges and SDGs

SDG 16 & SDG 5: Peace, Justice, and Gender Equality

The memoir links the subject’s adult struggles with adverse childhood experiences, directly relating to SDG 16.2 (End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against children) and SDG 5.2 (Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls).

• Childhood Environment: The subject describes her childhood home in Glasgow as a “war zone” due to her father’s alcoholism and frequent domestic violence against her mother.
• Cycle of Trauma: This early exposure to violence and substance abuse is presented as a foundational element of later personal challenges, demonstrating the long-term public health consequences of failing to protect children and women from violence.
• Culture of Silence: The family was conditioned to hide the domestic abuse, contributing to a cycle of shame and secrecy that the subject later replicated with her own alcoholism.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The subject’s early career trajectory highlights pressures related to socio-economic background, connecting to the broader goal of reducing inequalities (SDG 10).

• Erasure of Identity: Upon achieving fame at age 15, the subject (born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) was rebranded as “Lulu.” She was instructed to suppress her Glaswegian accent and working-class background to fit a manufactured public image.
• Professional Consequences: This pressure to conform extended to her musical output, where she was pushed towards “lightweight pop” rather than the R&B style she preferred. This demonstrates how social and industry pressures can limit authentic expression and opportunity.
• Internal Conflict: The subject reports feeling like an “outline of a person” due to this disconnect between her public persona and her true self, a psychological burden that contributed to her later difficulties.

Conclusion: Advocacy and Breaking Generational Cycles

The subject’s decision to publish her memoir serves as a powerful form of advocacy that aligns with the core principles of the Sustainable Development Goals. By contextualizing her personal health journey within a lifetime of social and familial challenges, she provides a compelling case for integrated approaches to well-being.

1. Promoting Public Health Dialogue: Her story is a direct contribution to achieving SDG Target 3.5 by raising public awareness about the realities of alcoholism and the pathways to recovery.
2. Highlighting Intergenerational Impact: The narrative explicitly connects childhood trauma (related to SDG 16 and SDG 5) to adult health outcomes, reinforcing the need for early intervention and support for families affected by violence and substance abuse.
3. Inspiring Hope for Future Generations: The subject expresses a desire to “break the pattern” of this “family disease,” framing her recovery as a preventative measure for her grandchildren. This forward-looking perspective embodies the sustainable and generational promise of the SDGs.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article’s central theme is Lulu’s struggle with alcoholism, a substance abuse disorder. It details her journey to sobriety, the psychological toll of her addiction (“shame, fear, anxiety”), and the importance of seeking treatment (“checked into rehab… committed to Alcoholics Anonymous”). This directly aligns with ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article explicitly mentions domestic violence experienced by Lulu’s mother. It states, “Her father Eddie was also an alcoholic, who regularly hit her mother, leaving her with black eyes and split lips.” This connects to the SDG 5 goal of eliminating all forms of violence against women.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article describes Lulu’s childhood environment as a “war zone” due to her father’s violence and alcoholism. This experience of growing up in a violent household relates to the goal of ending abuse and violence against children.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.

  This target is central to the article. Lulu’s story is a detailed account of the harmful use of alcohol and her subsequent journey through treatment. The article mentions specific interventions she undertook: “she checked into rehab for six weeks and committed to Alcoholics Anonymous”. Her decision to share her story in her memoir is also an act that contributes to prevention by raising awareness.

• Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

  Alcoholism is a non-communicable disease. Lulu’s statement, “with alcoholism, you can’t just control it. You have to stop. And if you don’t stop, there’s a chance you might die,” highlights the risk of premature mortality. The article also touches on mental health, describing her feelings of “shame, fear, anxiety” and the “liberating” effect of speaking out, which promotes well-being.

• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres.

  This target is directly addressed through the description of Lulu’s childhood. The article states her father “regularly hit her mother, leaving her with black eyes and split lips” and that “my dad had whacked her one.” This is a clear account of physical violence against a woman within the private sphere of the family home.

• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

  Lulu’s description of her childhood home as a “war zone” where “they would throw things and the noise was hellacious” points to the psychological violence and abuse she experienced as a child. This directly relates to the goal of ending all forms of violence against children.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 3.5: Coverage of treatment interventions for substance use disorders.

  The article provides a qualitative example of this indicator. Lulu’s ability to access and utilize treatment services (“checked into rehab for six weeks and committed to Alcoholics Anonymous, for ‘a meeting, two meetings every day for five years'”) serves as an anecdotal measure of the existence and coverage of such interventions.

• Indicator for Target 5.2: Proportion of women subjected to physical or psychological violence.

  The narrative about Lulu’s mother serves as a case study for this indicator. The description of her mother having “black eyes and split lips” from her husband’s abuse is a direct, though non-statistical, representation of the violence that this indicator aims to measure.

• Indicator for Target 16.2: Proportion of children who experienced psychological aggression by caregivers.

  Lulu’s account of growing up in a “war zone” with constant fighting and noise provides a qualitative illustration of this indicator. Her experience reflects the impact of psychological aggression from a caregiver on a child’s well-being.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: bbc.com