Religious beliefs and alcohol control policies: a Brazilian nationwide study

Abstract

Objective: The connection between lower alcohol use and religiousness has been extensively examined. Nevertheless, few studies have assessed how religion and religiousness influence public policies. The present study seeks to understand the influence of religious beliefs on attitudes toward alcohol use. Methods: A door-to-door, nationwide, multistage population-based survey was carried out. Selfreported religiousness, religious attendance, and attitudes toward use of alcohol policies (such as approval of public health interventions, attitudes about drinking and driving, and attitudes toward other alcohol problems and their harmful effects) were examined. Multiple logistic regression was used to control for confounders and to assess explanatory variables. Results: The sample was composed of 3,007 participants; 57.3% were female and mean age was 35.7 years. Religiousness was generally associated with more negative attitudes toward alcohol, such as limiting hours of sale (p , 0.01), not having alcohol available in corner shops (p , 0.01), prohibiting alcohol advertisements on TV (p , 0.01), raising the legal drinking age (p , 0.01), and raising taxes on alcohol (p , 0.05). Higher religious attendance was associated with less alcohol problems (OR: 0.61, 95%CI 0.40-0.91, p = 0.017), and self-reported religiousness was associated with less harmful effects of drinking (OR: 0.61, 95%CI 0.43-0.88, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Those with high levels of religiousness support more restrictive alcohol policies. These findings corroborate previous studies showing that religious people consume less alcohol and have fewer alcohol-related problems.

Spirituality or religiosity: is there any difference?

“…These religious affiliations usually have stronger opinions regarding public policy than do other religious traditions, including advocating for more restrictive alcohol policies. 2 There are distinct differences in alcohol use between religious traditions, as we reported in a recent article. 3 For instance, Afro-Brazilian religions (i.e., Umbanda) utilize alcohol in their rituals, whereas some Brazilian Protestant Evangelicals forbid its use entirely, whether for religious or non-religious purposes.…”

“…2 We agree that cultural values, personality, and stressful life events can have an important influence on alcohol use. In our study, the population was predominantly composed by Catholics (67.3%), followed by Evangelical Protestants (23.3%).…”

The missing link: what mediates the relationship between religiosity and alcohol use?

“…One of the interesting findings of Luchetti et al 3 was that religiosity was associated with more restrictive alcohol policies. This, of course, is also true of politically conservative individuals and, despite the association between religiosity and a variety of positive health outcomes, there is strong evidence linking it with politically conservative and prejudiced attitudes, such as homophobia, authoritarianism, and racism.…”

“…3,4 The vast majority of studies report a negative association between religiosity and alcohol use but, until recently, no data were available for the Brazilian context. Fortunately, this has now been changed with a nationwide study by Lucchetti et al 3 which, like U.S. based research before it, showed that individuals with higher levels of religiosity support more restrictive alcohol polices and report less alcohol abuse. 3 With these results at hand, there is now a need to move further and ask: what are the psychological mechanisms that mediate this relationship?…”

“…Fortunately, this has now been changed with a nationwide study by Lucchetti et al 3 which, like U.S. based research before it, showed that individuals with higher levels of religiosity support more restrictive alcohol polices and report less alcohol abuse. 3 With these results at hand, there is now a need to move further and ask: what are the psychological mechanisms that mediate this relationship? Is it something about religiosity in itself or should we look elsewhere?…”