Impact of Buddhist Lent Dry Campaign on alcohol consumption behaviour: A community level study

Abstract

“Buddhist Lent Dry Campaign” is an alcohol‐control programme that uses religious opportunities to promote behavioural changes among the Thai population. It is undertaken at the national and community levels. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of the community‐level intervention under the campaign on alcohol consumption behaviour. A prospective cohort study was conducted. The sample comprised 447 drinkers from four intervention communities and 388 from four non‐intervention communities. All were subjected to a series of sequential interviews. Our findings showed that the availability of the community intervention had a significant effect on alcohol abstinence not only during Buddhist Lent (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.96, 3.85), but also 3 months after the end of Buddhist Lent (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.42, 3.38). Furthermore, the intervention was very effective among drinkers who took an abstinence pledge (OR = 7.04, 95% CI = 4.49, 11.04). However, the effectiveness of the community intervention weakened after the intervention it ended. Additional interventions might be required to maintain the effects of the community intervention.

Voices of Temporary Sobriety – A Diary Study of an Alcohol-Free Month in Hungary

“…Results showed that the participation in Dry January increased 'drink refusal self-efficacy' and facilitated more conscious, reflective (Fry, 2011), and moderate drinking habits. Jirarattanasopha, Witvorapong, and Hanvoravongchai (2019) carried out a cohort study on the effect of a dry month, and found that community intervention had a significant effect on alcohol abstinence even three months after the dry month. Despite the popularity of selfimposed abstinence challenges, there has been relatively little empirical research in the area.…”

Effectiveness of alcohol-prevention social marketing in the presence of alcohol advertising

“…The country has a grandscale alcohol-prevention campaign, known in Thai as "Ngod Lao Khao Phansa", where Ngod Lao means alcohol abstention and Khao Phansa refers to Buddhist Lent, which is a three-month period that falls in July-October each year. The campaign is known in English as "No Alcohol during Buddhist Lent" as well as "Buddhist Lent Dry" (Jirarattanasopha et al, 2018). It is financed by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and has been organized on an annual basis during the Buddhist Lent period since 2003.…”

“…It is financed by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and has been organized on an annual basis during the Buddhist Lent period since 2003. According to Galbally et al (2012) and Jirarattanasopha et al (2018), the campaign draws strength from Buddhism, following the fact that about 95 per cent of the Thai population are Buddhists and that Buddhists are expected to observe an ethical code, which inter alia requires alcohol refrainment. It also capitalizes on the symbolism of Buddhist Lent, which marks the beginning of an intense religious practice, and motivates drinkers to view the period as an auspicious beginning for abstinence.…”

“…The campaign is composed of activities at two levels (Galbally et al, 2012;Jirarattanasopha et al, 2018). At the national level, the main component is mass-media advertising on the internet, radio and TV, disseminated constantly throughout Buddhist Lent.…”

“…Examples include peer-group counselling, distribution of campaign-based products and organization of award ceremonies at the end of the campaign to honor drinkers who are able to have completely refrained from alcohol during the past three months (Jirarattanasopha et al, 2018). The campaign has over time garnered support from the government, which has since 2008 declared the first day of Buddhist Lent (and the campaign's starting date) each year as the National Alcohol Abstention day, on which sales of alcoholic beverages are prohibited.…”