Characteristics of Problem Drinking in an Urban South American Indigenous Population

Abstract

This 2002 Medcen Foundation-funded study explored characteristics of problem drinking among 211 urban Venezuelan Native Americans of Arawak origin. Prevalence of problem drinking using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests was 88.5% among men and 17.3% among women. Periodic binge drinking was marked by loss of control, failure to meet obligations, and alcohol-related trauma. Focus group participants noted that previous occasional binge drinking by men has been replaced by frequent male and female heavy weekend drinking, violence, and death. Limitations and implications are discussed. Awareness of high levels of problem drinking and desire for assistance present compelling mandates for community intervention efforts.

Association of Contextual Factors with Drug Use and Binge Drinking among White, Native American, and Mixed-Race Adolescents in the General Population

“…However, despite recent growth in the Mixed-Race population (Cheng & Klugman 2010), many of the methodological limitations applicable to Native American populations also pertain to Mixed-Race populations. Few existing studies have used representative samples and most have focused on individual factors or family characteristics (e.g., Jackson & Lecroy 2009; Seale et al 2010). Before the 2000 Census began to include Mixed-Race as a category, studies varied in their definition of this classification.…”

Instruments for the Evaluation of Alcohol Use in Indigenous Communities – A Systematic Review

“…26, nº 3, p. 1589-1603 -September/2018 The questionnaires refer to instruments constructed and adapted according to the particularities of the populations, interests and objectives of the studies. In addition, we have identifi ed 10 studies (Forslundl, 1978;Giuliano et al, 1998;Hughes & Dodder, 1984;Kassab, 2011;Khan et al, 2013;Lowe et al, 1997;May & Smith, 1988;O'Malley et al, 2008;Seale et al, 2010;Shore & Spicer, 2004) that used questionnaires to describe the tool used to assess alcohol use in indigenous populations. These present a pattern in their characteristics, with closed questions about the habits of consumption of alcoholic beverages, frequency, quantity, type and damages.…”

“…Some have presented specifi c questions, such as the consequences of the use, associated or not with violence (Kassab, 2011), the evaluation of last consumption in the last six months per quarter, and the perception of pregnant women on alcohol (Khan et al, 2013), the reasons for drinking (Forslundl, 1978), the history of drinking (Lowe, et al, 1997) and beliefs about the effects of drinking and social control over the use of drink in the community (Shore & Spicer, 2004). The evaluation criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) and International Classifi cation of Diseases 10th version (ICD-10), as well as the CAGE questionnaire and Alcohol Use Disorders Identifi cation Test (AUDIT) evaluation model, were guiding resources for some instruments (O'Malley et al, 2008;Seale et al, 2010;Shore & Spicer, 2004).…”

“…Composed of ten questions that examine the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption, as well as its behaviors and consequences, its goal is to identify alcohol use disorders. This instrument was used by four studies (Currie et al, 2011;Seale et al, 2002;Seale et al, 2010;Yen et al, 2008). Seale et al (2002) added, together with the AUDIT, a question to identify the fi rst contact with the alcoholic beverage and the type of drink consumed by the indigenous.…”

“…(Eye-opener). The results of Table 3 showed that two studies used CAGE (Seale et al, 2010;. One variation of this instrument is the CAGE-T, which added a question about alcohol treatment in life ("Have you ever been treated for alcoholism?").…”