Abstract
Correction: Due to an error in the online publication of this journal, the publication date of this issue was recorded as 2014. The publication date was corrected to 2015 on 3 rd September 2015. The date on the cover is correct. Alcohol consumption pattern in India varies remarkably from many other countries. In India, most men are abstainers (70% to 90%) while less than 2% of women use alcohol. However, the men who use alcohol tend to drink at hazardous levels. This study examines alcohol use pattern among married men in rural sites spreading across five districts in the State of Tamil Nadu in South India. The type, frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed in the past one year were examined and all alcohol users were screened using Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST).Out of the 1626 men interviewed, 61.25% (996) had not used alcohol in the past one year and 8.49% (138) were identified as problem drinkers based on FAST. In terms of the quantity consumed, 37.26% of the alcohol users (234/628) drank five units or more in a typical drinking day indicating heavy alcohol use. The significantly higher level of problem drinkers in one of the five study sites indicated that easy access to cheap liquor can lead to heavy alcohol use. Pattern of alcohol use was also examined in terms of education and occupation as indicators of socio-economic status. There was a high degree of concordance between the wife’s reports of the spouse’s alcohol use frequency. Focus group discussions were also carried out in the community to examine community’s perception of alcohol use patterns. The study findings are examined in terms of the availability theory related to alcohol use and the Social Determinants Theory (SDT). International Journal of Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders 2015;1(3-4):131-141
Highlights
IntroductionIn India where nearly half of alcohol consumed is undocumented, sales of alcohol which is recorded has increased by nearly three times between 2000 and 2009.1 With economic development and globalisation of the world market, alcohol consumption is expected to rise and eventually increase the incidence of alcohol related health and social problems
There is much harm in alcohol use which is a cause of concern in many parts of the world and mostly in India
Problem drinkers were twice as likely to report health problems when compared to Controlled Drinkers (CD) and Non Drinkers (ND)
Summary
In India where nearly half of alcohol consumed is undocumented, sales of alcohol which is recorded has increased by nearly three times between 2000 and 2009.1 With economic development and globalisation of the world market, alcohol consumption is expected to rise and eventually increase the incidence of alcohol related health and social problems. Household Survey on Drug Abuse in India (2001), reported that 74.1% of males were life time alcohol abstainers and 21.4% had used alcohol during the previous month. It was estimated that India had 62.46 million alcohol users while roughly only one sixth (11.08 million) used drugs other than alcohol.[2] The National Family Health Survey - 3 (NFHS 3) showed that 32% of men aged between 15 to 54 years consume alcohol while in the case of women it is only 2%.3
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