Prevalence and Correlates of Alcohol Use among a Sample of Nigerian Semirural Community Dwellers in Nigeria

Abstract

Objective. To determine the prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among a sample of Nigerian semirural community dwellers in Nigeria. Methods. In a single arm nonrandomized intervention study, the assessment of baseline hazardous and harmful alcohol use and associated risk factors was conducted in two semirural local government areas of Oyo State, Nigeria, with the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Participants included 1203 subjects 15 years and older, recruited between October 2010 and April 2011. ASSIST score of 0–10 was classified as lower risk scores, 11–26 as moderate risk, and 27+ as high risk. Results. Prevalence of lifetime alcohol use was 57.9% and current alcohol use was 23.7%. Current alcohol use was more prevalent among the younger age group p = 0.02, male gender p = 0.003, unmarried p < 0.01, low educational level p = 0.003, low socioeconomic class p = 0.01, unemployed p < 0.001, and the Christians p < 0.01. Of the current drinkers, the majority (69.1%) were at either moderate or high health risk from alcohol use. Conclusion. Alcohol consumption is prevalent in semirural communities in Nigeria and the majority of these drinkers are at moderate or high health risk. Screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment for unhealthy alcohol use should be integrated into community care services in Nigerian rural communities.

Tuberculosis disease burden and attributable risk factors in Nigeria, 1990–2016

“…Evidence from regional areas of Nigeria has suggested that the lifetime prevalence of alcohol use was 57.9% [57], while the overall prevalence of current alcohol use ranged from 15 to 24% [57–60]. In Nigeria, there are some policy initiatives (excise tax on beer, wine and spirits, the national legal minimum age for on/off-premise sales of alcoholic beverages and regulations on alcohol advertising) to limit alcohol use.…”

Alcohol Use Disorders among Participants of a Community Outreach in Jos, Nigeria: Prevalence, Correlates and ease of acceptance of Brief Intervention

“…A previous similar study used only ASSIST without diagnosing AUDs. 20 Finally our study was able to identify a good number of participants who were either in danger of going further to develop alcohol use disorders and as such received brief intervention, and those with alcohol use disorders who thereafter were referred for either more intensive counselling or for more intensive treatment in a specialized treatment facility after the initial brief intervention. Considering the fact that most of these participants did not present primarily as a result of alcohol use problems, but for other medical or surgical problems, it will be appreciated that the alcohol problems are usually missed in routine medical services.…”

“…This contrasts with the more than two thirds of the current drinking population found to have moderate to severe risk in a previous study. 20 However, this is still very worrisome considering that as noted in that study alcohol is related with a risk of adverse health consequences such as alcohol dependence, cancers and injuries. The significance of this results from the fact that though patients may seek consultation for alcohol related physical illnesses, clinicians are less likely to detect and institute treatment for alcohol use disorders.…”

“…20,21 These differences could be a reflection of the difference in the instruments used, 21 or as result of the differences in the spread of centres used. 20 10,21 We found that a total of 11.7% (8.9% and 2.8%) were moderate to severe risk drinkers which is a little above half of the current drinking population (total of 20.9%). This contrasts with the more than two thirds of the current drinking population found to have moderate to severe risk in a previous study.…”

The Prevalence of Stroke Survivors in Urban Slums in Enugu, Nigeria

“…Related to this is are high rates of HIV/AIDS, smoking and alcohol abuse as well as poor healthcare infrastructure and public health educational strategies [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]. Related to these are high rates of alcohol and tobacco use as well as increasing use of amphetamines and cocaine [30].…”