The Prevalence of Hazardous Drinking & Its Correlates in a Community in Gyalshing, West Sikkim, India

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to describe the prevalence and correlates including pattern and practices of hazardous drinking in a male population in a community in Sikkim, India.
Methodology: 400 subjects were randomly selected from the electoral list of 4127 male of one assembly constitution in West Sikkim. The main interview included 10 items Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test questionnaire (AUDIT) as an indicator for hazardous drinking besides the interview schedule on socioeconomic, demographic characteristics and on practices
of drinking.
Result: The prevalence of hazardous drinking defined with AUDIT score of 8 or more than 8 was 38.65%. Hazardous drinking was significantly associated with age, ethnicity, occupation and type of house.
Conclusion: The prevalence of hazardous drinking is high among the male population, more in the productive age group and more in the tribal population. Awareness generation and intervention programmes should be initiated immediately at the community level to check the morbidity and mortality associated with hazardous drinking.

Keywords : alcohol, hazardous drinking, AUDIT