Alcohol-related Questions Research Articles

Acceptability, Adaptability, and Feasibility of a Novel Computer-Based Virtual Counselor-Delivered Alcohol Intervention: Focus Group and In-depth Interview Study Among Adults With HIV or Tuberculosis in Indian Clinical Settings.

BackgroundUnhealthy alcohol use is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among persons with HIV and tuberculosis (TB). Computer-based interventions (CBIs) can reduce unhealthy alcohol use, are scalable, and may improve outcomes among patients with HIV or TB.ObjectiveWe assessed the acceptability, adaptability, and feasibility of a novel CBI for alcohol reduction in HIV and TB clinical settings in Pune, India.MethodsWe conducted 10 in-depth interviews with persons with alcohol use disorder (AUD): TB (6/10), HIV (2/10), or HIV-TB co-infected (1/10) selected using convenience sampling method, no HIV or TB disease (1/10), 1 focus group with members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA; n=12), and 2 focus groups with health care providers (HCPs) from a tertiary care hospital (n=22). All participants reviewed and provided feedback on a CBI for AUD delivered by a 3D virtual counselor. Qualitative data were analyzed using structured framework analysis.ResultsThe majority (9/10) of in-depth interview respondents were male, with median age 42 (IQR 38-45) years. AA focus group participants were all male (12/12), and HCP focus group participants were predominantly female (n=15). Feedback was organized into 3 domains: (1) virtual counselor acceptability, (2) intervention adaptability, and (3) feasibility of the CBI intervention in clinic settings. Overall, in-depth interview participants found the virtual counselor to be acceptable and felt comfortable honestly answering alcohol-related questions. All focus group participants preferred a human virtual counselor to an animal virtual counselor so as to potentially increase CBI engagement. Additionally, interaction with a live human counselor would further enhance the program’s effectiveness by providing more flexible interaction. HCP focus group participants noted the importance of adding information on the effects of alcohol on HIV and TB outcomes because patients were not viewed as appreciating these linkages. For local adaptation, more information on types of alcoholic drinks, additional drinking triggers, motivators, and activities to substitute for drinking alcohol were suggested by all focus group participants. Intervention duration (about 20 minutes) and pace were deemed appropriate. HCPs reported that the CBI provides systematic, standardized counseling. All focus group and in-depth interview participants reported that the CBI could be implemented in Indian clinical settings with assistance from HIV or TB program staff.ConclusionsWith cultural tailoring to patients with HIV and TB in Indian clinical care settings, a virtual counselor–delivered alcohol intervention is acceptable and appears feasible to implement, particularly if coupled with person-delivered counseling.

The copita question: Exploring alcohol consumption among Latina women

We explored whether Dominican women underreport alcohol consumption according to questionnaire wording and examined factors associated with their alcohol use through structured interviews in Spanish. We measured consumption with the word “alcohol” and with the common colloquialisms “copita/trago/vinito.” We used logistic regressions to examine associations between alcohol consumption, demographics, and alcohol-related norms. Of 419 female participants, 411 completed alcohol-related questions. Most (n=343, 83.5%) were current drinkers and 88 (21%) reported having never consumed alcohol but also that they occasionally drink a “copita/trago/vinito.” This indicates alcohol use is potentially underreported among Dominican women. Alcohol-related research should incorporate culturally sensitive language to improve accuracy.

Alcohol consumption is associated with a later need for ICU admission: a Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966-study.

Alcohol-related problems are common in intensive care unit (ICU) admitted patients. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of alcohol consumption on the need of intensive care in 19years follow-up period. The study population consists of Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 participants, who responded alcohol-related questions at 31years of age and Intensive Care Unit (ICU admissions from 1997 to 2016. There were a total of 8379 assessed people and 136 (1.6%) of them were later admitted to ICU. A total of 44 (32.4%) of the ICU-admitted persons had their alcohol consumption at the highest quartile of the cohort (P=0.047). These patients had a lower number of malignancy-related admissions (3.6% versus 14.0%, P=0.027), neurological admissions (14.3 versus 30.6%, P=0.021), and were more often admitted due to poisonings (12.5% versus 5.0%, P=0.07). There were no differences in 28-day post-ICU mortality but long-term mortality of ICU-admitted patients with lower alcohol consumption was higher than non-ICU-admitted population. Among ICU-admitted population, there was higher alcohol consumption at age of 31years. People in the lower alcohol consumption quartiles were more often admitted to ICU due to malignancy-related causes and they had higher long-term mortality.

Cognitive functions and neuropsychological status of medical students with different attitudes to alcohol use: A study conducted at the Belarusian State Medical University, Minsk, Belarus

This article presents findings on the effects of alcohol use on cognitive performance, functional (well-being, activity, mood) and neuropsychological status and anxiety levels of medical students. A total of 265 medical students (107 males and 158 females) from the Belarusian State Medical University, Minsk (Belarus) were administered questionnaire, containing the AUDIT, CAGE, MAST, and PAS, and other alcohol related questions. Academic Performance questionnaire was administered together with other tests. For analysis of cognitive functions, a “correction probe” test was used. The number of students who reported consumption of alcohol was 74 males and 142 females. Medical students who reported alcohol consumption had lower cognitive performance and academic success, poor self-assessment of their functional and neuropsychological states, compared to the non-alcohol users. The results of this study suggest an inverse dose-dependent relationship between alcohol consumption, and cognitive functions, academic performance and neuropsychological status of medical students.

Mean-Weekly Alcohol Questions Are not Recommended for Clinical Work

The aim of this study was to evaluate middle-aged men's willingness to answer short, clinically feasible alcohol-related questions and to discuss changing their drinking habits. All 45-year-old male inhabitants of the city of Tampere, Finland, were invited to a health screening. Of these, 664 (55.1%) agreed to participate and 615 drank alcohol. The mailed health questionnaire also included mean-weekly (M-W), quantity-frequency (Q-F) and structured frequency-quantity (AUDIT-FQ) questions based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Based on the Q-F, drinkers were classified as moderate, risky and heavy episodic drinkers. Q-F was answered by 90.2%, the AUDIT by 96.6% and the M-W by 45.5%. In all drinker categories, Q-F gave higher consumption levels compared with M-W and AUDIT-FQ. Willingness to discuss and change alcohol drinking was low in all drinker categories. Choosing a method preferred by patients may increase their willingness to talk about alcohol. Also, a method giving high consumption values may be the most truthful, because patients often underestimate their drinking. This is why Q-F questions should be favoured over M-W and AUDIT-FQ in patient interviews.

Acute alcohol consumption and motivation to reduce drinking among injured patients in a Swedish emergency department

Injuries constitute a major public health problem. Millions of people are injured each year, and acute drinking is a well-known risk factor for injuries. Research suggests that acknowledgment of alcohol as a factor in an injury enhances willingness to change drinking behavior, possibly because the patient becomes aware of the negative consequences of their drinking. We investigated the prevalence of acute alcohol consumption among injured patients in Sweden and examined the factors associated with motivation to reduce alcohol consumption among these patients. All injured patients aged 18–69 years were given a card by a triage nurse with a request to answer alcohol-related questions on a touch-screen computer. Patients who completed the test received a printout containing personalized feedback on his or her drinking habits as calculated by the computer program from the patient’s answers. Fifteen percent of injured patients were categorized as acute drinkers, and of these, 64% reported that their injury was connected with alcohol. There were significant differences for sociodemographic and drinking characteristics between acute drinkers and nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers were categorized as risky drinkers to a much higher extent than nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers had considerably higher average weekly alcohol consumption and engaged far more frequently in heavy episodic drinking than nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers were motivated to reduce their alcohol intake to a greater extent than nonacute drinkers: 51% were in the action, preparation, and contemplation stages compared with 19% of nonacute drinkers. Results indicate that acute drinkers had considerably more detrimental alcohol consumption than nonacute drinkers and were more motivated to reduce their drinking than nonacute drinkers.

Alcohol-Related Predictors of Delirium After Major Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

To identify specific alcohol-related predictors of postoperative delirium. Inception cohort, logistic regression with step-wise selection. Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus. A total of 774 patients undergoing major resection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The correlation of 19 variables with postoperative delirium. One variable was an alcohol-related blood test: mean red blood cell volume (MCV). Eight variables were patient responses to alcohol-related questions. Eighty-nine of 774 surgical procedures (11.5%) were complicated by delirium. Six variables were significantly associated with delirium: age older than 69 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.43; P < .01), preexisting cognitive impairment (OR, 3.83; P < .01), surgery duration greater than 6 hours (OR, 2.40; P < .01), MCV greater than 95.0 femtoliters (OR, 2.23; P < .01), ever being advised to cut back on alcohol (OR, 2.25; P = .01), and not abstaining from alcohol for at least 1 continuous week in the preceding year (OR, 2.16; P = .02). The number of variables stratified delirium risk (0 variables: 198 patients, 2.5% incidence of delirium; 1 variable: 278 patients, 6% incidence of delirium; 2 variables: 206 patients, 18% incidence of delirium; and >2 variables: 92 patients, 34% incidence of delirium). Three clinical variables not related to alcohol drinking (age, preexisting cognitive impairment, and surgery duration), an alcohol-related laboratory test (MCV), and 2 alcohol-related questions ("At any time in your life, has anyone ever suggested that you should cut back on your drinking?" and "What is the greatest number of days in a row you have gone without an alcoholic drink in the past year?") may help in estimating a patient's risk for postoperative delirium.

What makes emergency department patients reduce their alcohol consumption? – A computer-based intervention study in Sweden

This study investigates the effectiveness of a computerized emergency department intervention for alcohol consumption and identifies explanation factors associated with reduced alcohol consumption from risk to non-risk drinking. Patients aged 18-69 years registered at the ED triage answered alcohol-related questions on a touch-screen computer. Follow-up data were collected by means of a postal questionnaire that was mailed to the patients 6 months after their ED visit. There were four independent explanations for reduced alcohol consumption: being motivated to reduce alcohol consumption at baseline, influenced by just visiting the emergency department, considering the alcohol-related feedback information and impact from a health care provider. 339 patients could be followed up and of these were 97 categorized as risk drinkers at baseline and 45 became non-risk drinker 6 month later. Being motivated to reduce alcohol consumption at baseline, influenced by just visiting the emergency department, considering the alcohol-related feedback information and impact from a health care provider were predictors for change from risk to non-risk drinking 6 months later.

Prevalence of alcohol-related problems among the Slavs and Arabs in Belarus: a university survey

Background: Alcohol abuse is a major problem among students in Belarus. Alcohol-related problems might vary among students of different cultural backgrounds. Objectives: To examine the different patterns in alcohol use and related problems among students of different cultural groups – the Slavs and Arabs, in major Belarusian universities. Methods: 1465 university students (1345 Slavs and 120 Arabs) from three major universities in Minsk, Belarus, were administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Cut, Annoyed, Guilty and Eye questionnaire, and the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, including other alcohol-related questions. Results: Overall, 91.08% (n = 1225) Slavs and 60.83% (n = 73) Arabs were alcohol users. A total of 16.28% (n = 219) Slavs and 32.50% (n = 39) Arabs were identified as problem drinkers. Different patterns of alcohol use and related problems were characterized for the Slavs and Arabs. The level of alcohol-related problems was higher among the Arabs, compared to the Slavs. Conclusion: Significant differences in the pattern of alcohol use and related problems exist among the students of various cultural groups – the Slavs and Arabs in Minsk, Belarus. Scientific significance: This is the first empirical study to investigate the prevalence of alcohol use and related problems among the Arab and Slav students in Belarus.

Drinking Motives among Spanish and Hungarian Young Adults: A Cross-National Study

To investigate differences and similarities in college students' drinking motives in Spain and in Hungary. A total of 550 Spanish (mean age 22.7, SD=3.2) and 997 Hungarian (mean age 22.4, SD=2.7) college students completed the Drinking Motive Questionnaire Revised Short Form (DMQ-R SF) and answered other alcohol-related questions. Data were analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis, t-test and structural equation modeling. The DMQ-R SF demonstrated good psychometric properties in both countries. The rank order of the motives (social>enhancement>coping>conformity) was identical in the two countries. However, Hungarian students scored higher on enhancement, social and coping motives than Spanish students. In both the Hungarian and the Spanish population, enhancement motives were associated with drinking frequency and drunkenness, while coping motives were associated with alcohol-related problems. Among Spanish students, a significant relationship was found between alcohol-related problems and enhancement motives as well. Despite the substantial differences in the drinking culture of both countries, drinking motives showed overwhelming similarities (e.g. rank order of motives and the particular relationships between motives and alcohol outcomes). Only few differences (e.g. Hungarian college students indicated a higher level of motives) were found in cross-national comparison. Our results imply that programs targeting risky drinking motives are likely to be successfully adapted to different drinking cultures in Europe.

Why do festival goers drink? Assessment of drinking motives using the DMQ-R SF in a recreational setting

The aim of this study is to confirm the four-dimensional structure and other measurement properties of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised Short Form (DMQ-R SF) among young Hungarian adults in a recreational setting. In a 'Health Tent' at Europe's biggest music and cultural festival, 390 attendees (mean age 23.6, SD = 4.4) completed the DMQ-R SF and answered other alcohol-related questions. Data were analysed by confirmatory factor analysis, repeated measures anova and structural equation modelling. The results confirmed the good measurement properties of the DMQ-R SF in terms of factor loadings, model fit and internal consistency. These statistics were similar for men and women. For both genders, social motives were the most frequently indicated motivational dimension, followed by coping, conformity and enhancement. Social motives were consistently related to drinking, and coping to alcohol-related problems. It seems that the DMQ-R SF is a useful instrument for measuring the motivation to engage in drinking in recreational settings, such as parties, clubs and festivals, where hard-to-reach target groups vulnerable to risky drinking behaviour are present, but time for filling out questionnaires is restricted.

Acute Alcohol Consumption and Motivation to Reduce Drinking Among Injured Patients in a Swedish Emergency Department

Injuries constitute a major public health problem. Millions of people are injured each year, and acute drinking is a well-known risk factor for injuries. Research suggests that acknowledgment of alcohol as a factor in an injury enhances willingness to change drinking behavior, possibly because the patient becomes aware of the negative consequences of their drinking. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of acute alcohol consumption (drinking before the event) among injury patients and to examine the importance of factors potentially associated with motivation to reduce alcohol consumption among these patients. All patients aged 18-69 years were requested to answer alcohol-related questions on a touchscreen computer. Fifteen percent of injured patients were categorized as acute drinkers, and of these, 64% reported that their injury was connected to alcohol. There were significant differences for all sociodemographic and drinking characteristics between acute drinkers and nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers were categorized as risky drinkers to a much higher extent than nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers had a considerably higher average weekly alcohol consumption and engaged far more frequently in heavy episodic drinking than nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers were motivated to reduce their alcohol intake to a greater extent than nonacute drinkers; 51% were in the action, preparation, and contemplation stages, compared with 19% of the nonacute drinkers. Acute drinkers had considerably more detrimental alcohol consumption than nonacute drinkers, and the acute drinkers were more motivated to reduce their drinking than the nonacute drinkers.

Analysis of Gender Differences in Alcohol Use and Related Problems among University Students in Minsk, Belarus

Abstract — There is a variety of inconsistencies in the differences in alcohol use and related problems between male and female genders. This study was aimed at analyzing the gender differences in alcohol use and related problems among university students in Minsk, Belarus. A total of 465 male (average age of 21) and 1030 female (average age of 20.5) students from four major universities in Minsk, Belarus were administered WHO recommended standardized screening instruments – AUDIT, MAST, CAGE questionnaire, as well as other alcohol related questions. The male to female ratio for the prevalence of alcohol problems according to the AUDIT was 3.34, while the ratio for alcohol users was 0.97. There are a wide gender differences in the pattern of alcohol use and preference for different alcoholic beverages, cause for drinking, and other alcohol related problems like injuries and blackouts. Keywords — Alcohol related problems, Gender differences, University students, Belarus. I. INTRODUCTION HERE is a variety of inconsistencies of data concerning the differences in the prevalence and pattern of alcohol use and related problems between male and female genders [1]. Although, no significant gender differences in the proportion of alcohol users were recorded by [2] in a study of 247 respondents in Uganda, other studies show a significant difference in alcohol use by both genders [1] – [3].

The effect of alcohol use on academic performance of university students

Materials and methods Students (n = 46, mean age 21 yrs) from three major universities (Belarusian State Medical University, Belarusian State Agro-Technical University and Belarusian State National Technical University) in Minsk, Belarus agreed to participate in the randomized anonymous study. All participants received questionnaire containing the AUDIT, MAST, CAGE and other alcohol related questions. Examination scores of each participant were filled into the questionnaire on “Academic Performance” from their examination booklets and were controlled by our researcher, Dr. MO Welcome. Academic performances (the Grade Point Average and the effectiveness to sit for examinations) of all participants from the 1st to 6th semesters of university education were used as objective criteria for problems related with alcohol use. The Pearson c2 and Student’s t-tests were employed for analysis of results. The probability value for significance was set at p < 0.05.

Alcohol: use and related problems - prevalence among foreigners and the natives in Belarus

Materials and methods A total of 1517 respondents (172 foreigners and 1345 native Belarusians) from all major cities in Belarus enrolled for the survey. Standardized AUDIT, CAGE and MAST questionnaire including other alcohol-related questions were used as a measure. All three questionnaires were administered since it has been suggested that the CAGE might show less sensitivity, compared to the results of the MAST and AUDIT in some population [1,2]. The Student’s t and Pearson, c2 tests were employed for analysis of results.

PW01-239 - From first to final year of university education: trajectory of alcohol problems in Belarusian universities

ObjectivesThe problem of alcohol use is a major public health problem in the general students’ population in Belarus. We therefore screen for the prevalence and trace the order of increase in alcohol use and related problems among freshmen and seniors in Belarusian universities.Materials and methodsA total of 565 (1st - 2nd courses, mean age - 18.9yrs), 537 (3rd - 4th courses, mean age - 20.9yrs) and 397 (5th - 6th courses, mean age - 22.8 yrs) university students in Minsk (Belarus) were administered the AUDIT questionnaire, including other alcohol related questions. The cut-off point on the AUDIT was set at 8. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 16.0 version for Windows; the criteria of Pearson, X2 and Student's t testsñ. The probability value for significance was set at p&lt; 0.05.ResultsAlcohol use and related problems increased with increase in the average age and year of study. In the 1st - 2nd, 3rd - 4th, 5th - 6th courses, alcohol users were 83.56%, 85.64%, 94.22% respectively and problem drinkers were 14.51%, 17.88%, 20.91% respectively. The use of strong strength alcoholic beverages was linked with a high risk of alcohol related problems, than the use of weak alcoholic beverages in the general students’ population.ConclusionThe level of alcohol use and related problems in the general students’ population in Belarus are high and show increase in order of increase both in the average age and in the year of study.

P03-269 - A survey of the extent of alcohol use on academic performances of undergraduates

ObjectivesAlcohol use by students is a major public health problem, leading to the Secondhand Effects - decrease in academic performance, injuries, blackouts etc.AimTo determine the extent of alcohol use on academic performance of university students.MethodsParticipants (n=46, mean age - 21 yrs) received the AUDIT questionnaire and other alcohol related questions. Grade Point Average and the effectiveness to sit for examinations of all participants from the 1st to 6th semesters of university education were used as objective criteria for problems related with alcohol use. The Pearson χ2 and Student's t-tests were employed for analysis of results. The probability value for significance was set at p&lt; 0.05.ResultsAlcohol and non-alcohol users were 41.3% and 58.7% respectively. Among alcohol users, the average quantity of alcohol used by one person per month was 37ml of absolute ethanol. A 10.9 - 11.4% higher rate of academic performance was noted among the non-alcohol users only in the 3rd, 4th and 5th, 6th semesters. The cases of injuries and blackouts were higher among the alcohol users by approximately 35 times. About 75% of all drinkers reported alcohol use only during their university education. The dose-time response effect of alcohol use on cademic performance was also proven.

P01-337 - The Slavs and Arabs: verifying the Ledermann pyramidal hypothesis of alcohol use distribution in Belarus

IntroductionIn 1956 Ledermann Sully suggested a hypothesis of alcohol use - the pyramidal hypothesis of alcohol use distribution. According to this hypothesis, the increase in social alcohol users in a given society leads to a disproportional increase in percentages of heavy users. In the same way, decrease in the number of social drinkers will have the greatest effect on heavy drinkers. In most western countries, where there are high percentages of heavy drinkers, the pyramid is broad. While in Asian countries where there are fewer heavy drinkers the pyramid is a narrow one. The pattern of alcohol use according to the Ledermann hypothesis among various ethnicities - Slavs, Arabians and Nigerians in Minsk, Belarus were examined.Materials and methods1345 Slavs, 120 Arabians and 44 Nigerians in Minsk were administered questionnaire containing the AUDIT and other alcohol related questions. On the AUDIT, a score of 1-7 defines social drinkers; 8-19 - heavy drinkers; 20-40 - alcohol dependence.Results and discussionSocial drinkers, alcohol abusers and people with alcohol dependence in the general Belarusian population were Slavs - 74.8%, 13.8%, 2.5% respectively; Arabians - 29.2%, 20.8%, 10.8% respectively; Nigerians - 30.8%, 11.5%, 3.8% respectively. According to the Ledermann hypothesis, this study shows that the pattern of alcohol use by Arabs could be denoted with a narrow pyramid (pattern of alcohol use in most Asian countries) and a broad pyramid (pattern of alcohol use in most western countries) for both Slavs and Nigerians.

P01-333 - Alcohol problems among foreigners and the natives: a prevalence study in Belarus

BackgroundAlcohol use is a major public health problem and contributes to the burden of disease world-wide. The problem of alcohol use might defer among the natives and foreigners in a given cultural milieu.AimTo screen for the prevalence of alcohol use among the native Belarusians and foreigners.Materials and methods1517 respondents (172 foreigners and the rest native Belarusians) from different cities in Belarus enrolled for the study. Standardized questionnaire containing the AUDIT, CAGE, MAST and other alcohol-related questions were administered to all respondents. The Student's t and Pearson, χ2 tests were employed for analysis of results.ResultsAlcohol users were 90% native Belarusians and 62% foreigners. Problem drinkers were 16% native Belarusians and 30% foreigners. A significant increase (in approximately 2 times) in the rate of alcohol use after a 2-4 years stay in Belarus was noted among the foreigners (p&lt; 0.05).ConclusionThere is a significant difference in the pattern of alcohol use among the foreigners and native Belarusians. The rate of alcohol use and related problems is higher among foreigners, compared to the native Belarusians.

Gender specific analysis of alcohol use

BackgroundSeveral studies all round the world have noted specificdifferences in the pattern of alcohol use among maleand female genders [1-3].AimTo examine specific gender differences in alcohol useamong university students in Minsk, Belarus.Materials and methodsOver 2000 students at random in four major universitiesin Minsk, Belarus were explained the study objectives.Approximately 75% of students in these universities arefemales. Only those who agreed to participate were con-sidered for the study. A total of 465 males (mean age -21 yrs) and 1030 females (mean age - 20.5 yrs) wereadministered anonymous AUDIT questionnaire andother alcohol related questions. Data analysis: statisticalcalculations were performed using SPSS (StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences) 16.0 version for Win-dows; the criteria of Pearson (c2) and Student’st-test.The value for significance was as p < 0.05.ResultsAlcohol users were 85.7% males and 88.5% females. Pro-blem drinkers were 33.7% males and 10.1% females.Approximately the same percentages of both males andfemales use only beer as alcoholic drinks. Significantpercentage of males (16.8%) use spirits, wine and beerin their combination, compared to only 5.1% females.Bad mood as a deciding factor for alcohol use wasreported by a higher percentage of males (8.1%), com-pared to the females - 1.9%. Alcohol use for celebrationswas higher among the females than in the male popula-tion: a female to male ratio of 1.4.ConclusionsThis study reveals that the prevalence of alcohol pro-blems is significantly higher among the males, comparedto the females in the general Belarusian students’ popu-lation, although no significant differences in the percen-tages of alcohol users among both genders exist.Differences in the preference for different alcoholicdrinks and the causes for alcohol use were noted amongthe males and females.