Quantifying patterns of alcohol consumption and its effects on health and wellbeing among BaYaka hunter-gatherers: A mixed-methods cross-sectional study

Abstract

Ethnographers frequently allude to alcoholism and related harms in Indigenous hunter-gatherer communities, but very few studies have quantified patterns of alcohol consumption or its health and social impacts. We present a case study of the Mbendjele BaYaka, a Congolese population undergoing socioeconomic transition. 83 adults answered questions about their frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, underwent biometric measurements and reported whether they were currently experiencing a cough or diarrhoea; 56 participated in structured interviews about their experiences with alcohol. Based on WHO standards, we found 44.3% of the full sample, and 51.5% of drinkers (excluding abstainers), had a hazardous volume of alcohol consumption; and 35.1% of the full sample, and 40.9% of drinkers, engaged in heavy episodic drinking; consumption habits varied with sex and age. Total weekly consumption was a positive predictor of blood pressure and the likelihood of experiencing diarrhoea; associations with other biometric variables were not statistically significant. Interview responses indicated numerous other economic, mental and physical health harms of alcohol use, the prevalence of which demonstrate some variability between forest camps and permanent village settlements. These include high rates of drinking during pregnancy and breastfeeding (~40%); frequent alcohol-induced violence; and considerable exchange of foraged foods and engagement in exploitative labour activities to acquire alcohol or repay associated debts. Our findings demonstrate the prevalence of hazardous alcohol consumption among transitioning hunter-gatherers is higher than other segments of the Congolese population and indicate negative impacts on health and wellbeing, highlighting an urgent need for targeted public health interventions.

Arterial hypertension and its covariates among nomadic Raute hunter-gatherers of Western Nepal: a mixed-method study

“…A high rate of alcohol consumption, particularly hazardous consumption and declining foraging behaviour with the socioeconomic transition has been well documented among the Congolese BaYaka and Tanzanian Hadza HGs, respectively, which resonate with our findings. 64 65 …”

Arterial hypertension and its covariates among nomadic Raute hunter-gatherers of Western Nepal: a mixed-method study

“…A high rate of alcohol consumption, particularly hazardous consumption, and declining foraging behavior with the socio-economic transition have already been documented among the Congolese BaYaka HGs and Tanzanian Hadza foragers respectively, corroborating our findings. [59, 60]…”

“…A high rate of alcohol consumption, particularly hazardous consumption, and declining foraging behavior with the socio-economic transition has been well documented among the Congolese BaYaka and Tanzanian Hadza HGs, respectively, which resonate with our findings. [64,65] The Rautes have rich indigenous knowledge of medicinal herbs. Although traditional healing is still practiced, the Raute is increasingly becoming more aware of modern healthcare.…”

“…A high rate of alcohol consumption, particularly hazardous consumption, and declining foraging behavior with the socio-economic transition have already been documented among the Congolese BaYaka HGs and Tanzanian Hadza foragers respectively, corroborating our findings. [59,60] Despite being aware of modern medical care, Raute HGs continue to rely on traditional healing practices and their indigenous knowledge of medicinal herbs for the vast majority of their illnesses. The awareness of the diagnosis among hypertensive participants was below 10%.…”

Social ties in the Congo Basin: insights into tropical forest adaptation from BaYaka and their neighbours

“…Hunting endangered species is illegal, posing a major risk for hunters who can serve jail time for poaching. Road construction and the increased demand for bushmeat driven by logging are associated with increased sedentism and alcoholism among BaYaka hunters [ 53 , 71 , 106 , 107 ]. Because of logging activities, smaller and smaller sections of the forest are available for subsistence activities [ 108 , 109 ].…”