Prevalence and risk factors associated with alcohol consumption among indigenous people in Sabah Borneo Island

Abstract

Objectives In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of alcohol use among a cohort of population in Sabah. Design This is a prospective, cohort study involving rural community residents. Setting Rural community resident at Bingkor, Keningau, Sabah. Participants 363 individuals aged 13 years old and above. Intervention Community‐based participatory research to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with alcohol use. Main outcome measures Measurement of alcohol use using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and assessment of psychiatric morbidity using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) questionnaires. Results Most alcohol drinkers aged between 36‐45 years old, followed by 26‐35 years old and 46‐55 years old. Interestingly, there are almost similar female to male ratio. Most were Kadazan‐Dusun ethnic, non‐Muslims, and married. Although only less than a third of the participants received tertiary education, the majority were working. Based on the findings, being a male, non‐Muslim and having an obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) (current) posed a significantly higher risk of alcohol consumption. Conclusion A worryingly high prevalence of hazardous alcohol consumption among the locals is reported. There is a need for population‐wide intervention towards preventive measures based on the identified risk factors for hazardous alcohol use.

Scoping review of assessment tools for, magnitudes of and factors associated with problem drinking in population-based studies

“…Hazardous/harmful alcohol use, also known as harmful/hazardous drinking, probable AUD, risky alcohol use, high-risk drinking, or hazardous, harmful, or dependent alcohol use, was defined as a score of ≥8 on the AUDIT in most studies including studies conducted in New Zealand,53 Norway,55 Brazil,107 108 South Africa,61 101 India,109–112 Kenya,113 Uganda,114 Nepal,115 Ethiopia,63 116–118 Malaysia,89 Thailand90 119 and Suriname 60. This definition is in keeping with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended cut-offs for problem drinking on the AUDIT 17.…”

“…Likewise, AUD comprising AA, AD, hazardous, harmful or dependent alcohol use was reported by 31 of 52 LMIC studies, including South Africa,57 61 80 101 Sri Lanka,79 Ethiopia,50 51 59 63 116–118 China,122 Brazil,49 52 107 108 India,109–112 Kenya,113 Uganda,114 Nepal,115 Cambodia,58 Malaysia,89 Thailand,90 119 Suriname60 and Mozambique120 (online supplemental file 4, table). Either current or lifetime prevalence of any AUD ranged from 4.1% to 41.0% in the overall sample, from 14.5% to 66.6% in males and from 2.0% to 33.4% in females.…”

“…Seven studies from HICs35 56 70 72 73 76 88 found that male sex was associated with alcohol use and various types of problem drinking. Another 19 studies from LMICs found that male sex was associated with different forms of problem drinking 24 50 51 57–59 89 92 93 104 105 108 109 113 116–118 126 127…”

“…While several studies found associations between lower income49 50 79 80 92 101 102 127 129 or unemployment62 121 and problem drinking, others found associations between problem drinking and higher income57 58 93 101 106 107 109 120 121 127 130 or being employed 51 58 60 104 106 109 114–116 126 128. Only a few studies from LMICs examined associations between factors like religious affiliation,50 89 108 128 129 living in urban or rural setting and location61 101 105 106 112; ethnicity and race49 50 57 61 92 93 101 104 115; household living circumstances49 103 and problem drinking.…”

“…Three studies conducted in HICs73 and 15 in LMICs50 59 61 63 79 89 92 97 107 114–118 120 found associations between mental disorders and different forms of problem drinking. Only one HIC study found associations between medical problems like higher body mass index and being non-diabetic than diabetic39 and problem drinking.…”