Baseline Research for Action: Adolescent Alcohol Consumption in Los Palacios Municipality, Cuba

Y E Diaz ,Yairelis Espinosa

doi:10.37757/mr2013v15.n2.8

Abstract

In Cuba, alcohol is an important contributor to morbidity, mortality and social problems. The foundation of Cuba's universal primary health care coverage, family doctor-and-nurse offices play a critical role in prevention, early detection and treatment of alcohol abuse. Los Palacios Municipality of the westernmost province of Pinar del Río, Cuba, is a socially complex, periurban area where alcohol abuse and alcoholism have been identified as important health problems. Adolescents constitute a population at high risk for alcohol abuse because of their receptivity to social influences, but the precise extent of the problem is unknown. This paper reports baseline findings from a survey and direct observation of alcohol consumption in the catchment area of a primary care center, conducted to inform planning for an educational intervention. KEYWORDS Alcohol, alcoholism, alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, adolescence, primary health care, Cuba.

Highlights

Half the world’s population consumes alcohol to some extent, divided into two groups: people who drink within social norms and people who exceed them.[1]
Of the 109 young people studied, 73 (67%) consumed alcohol (Table 2). This indicates a high rate of alcohol consumption; these adolescents drink in their free time, in company of friends and neighbors, which is corroborated by our observations that young people frequently gather in groups to drink on the street
In Colombia, for example, alcohol is inextricably bound to the country’s social life, and in Mexico nearly 27 million people aged 12 to 65 years drink excessively, while drinking begins at ever younger ages.[19]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Half the world’s population consumes alcohol to some extent, divided into two groups: people who drink within social norms and people who exceed them (including alcoholics).[1]. Excessive alcohol use is one of the most common contributors to social problems such as unprotected sex, domestic violence, family abandonment, street fights resulting in injury, and job loss It is associated with 50% of traffic fatalities and 30% of murders and arrests (responsible for almost half of felony convictions). Doctor-and-nurse offices play a central role in Cuba’s universal primary health care coverage, each responsible for serving approximately 1200 persons in their geographic catchment area, the latter ranging from urban to periurban to rural settings. They play a fundamental role in early diagnosis of alcoholism and nonsocial drinking, and even more important, alcoholism prevention through community education. The current study, which will inform planning for an awareness workshop aimed at heightening risk perception related to alcohol abuse, contributing to prevention

METHODS

RESULTS

Organización Mundial de la Salud