Alcohol use patterns and associated variables among the Karipuna indigenous people in the extreme Northern Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption and associated factors in the Karipuna indigenous people. A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted with 230 Karipunan respondents aged 15 or over from 12 villages in the state of Amapá, in the extreme northern Brazilian Amazon. The participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). The prevalence of alcohol use among the Karipuna was 70%. Of these, 59.6% had low-risk use, 38.3% had hazardous or harmful alcohol use, and 2.2% met criteria for probable alcohol dependence. Overall, 40.5% of the respondents had hazardous or harmful alcohol use; 66.6% were men, and 33.4% were women. In the regression analysis, age, sex, religion, not having an occupation, being a student, low educational attainment, suicidal ideation and having sexual intercourse after alcohol consumption were associated with hazardous or harmful alcohol use. Sex and Catholic religion were risk factors for this alcohol use pattern among the Karipuna. The prevalence of problematic alcohol use among the Karipuna is higher than that observed among the general Brazilian population, and preventive screenings should be widely implemented. Efforts to address and minimize the consequences of harmful and hazardous alcohol use among Brazilian Amazonian indigenous populations could be developed.