AI Article Synopsis

  • Alcohol consumption in South India has decreased over two decades, with 54.5% of men drinking in the early 2000s compared to 47.7% by 2019.
  • Many men either started (12%) or stopped (18%) drinking during this period, with lower education and socio-economic status being key factors influencing alcohol use.
  • A significant portion of male drinkers exhibited hazardous drinking behaviors, yet only a small number sought help, indicating possible stigma surrounding alcohol issues in the community.

Article Abstract

Background: Alcohol consumption in India is below the global average, with limited data on long-term effects. The current study aims to examine changes over time among alcohol consumers, the pattern of drinking and help-seeking for alcohol problems among South Indian men.

Method: Data on the intake of various alcohol types were collected through standard questionnaires in two adult follow-ups [Baseline: 1998-2002, Follow-up: 2016-2019] from male participants in the Vellore birth cohort (VBC). Alcohol intake was converted to weekly standard drink units for analysis. Data on drinking patterns using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and information on help-seeking among problem drinkers were collected during follow-up. Socio-demographic associations with alcohol consumption were determined using logistic regression.

Results: The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 54.5% and 47.7% at the baseline and follow-up, respectively. Over two decades, 12% of men reported to have newly started drinking and 18% quit drinking. Lower education and lower socio-economic status (SES) were the strongest predictors of alcohol consumption. The AUDIT assessment among drinkers reported hazardous drinking of 38.4%, harmful drinking of 4.7% and 3.7% probable alcohol dependence. Among the persons with high AUDIT scores, 25% were concerned about high consumption, and 9% sought help to stop their alcohol consumption.

Conclusion: Our results showed a decline in alcohol consumption in this cohort over two decades. Among drinkers, a high proportion report hazardous and harmful consumption. Low levels of education and SES are significant predictors of alcohol consumption. A low proportion of help-seeking reflects alcohol-related stigma in the community.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11465489PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13033-024-00650-wDOI Listing

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