The prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders: A population based study in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Helena M S Zavos; Sisira Siribaddana; Harriet A. Ball; Michael T. Lynskey; Athula Sumathipala; Frühling V. Rijsdijk; Matthew Hotopf

doi:10.1186/s12888-015-0549-z

The prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders: A population based study in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Helena M S Zavos^*, Sisira Siribaddana, Harriet A. Ball, Michael T. Lynskey, Athula Sumathipala, Frühling V. Rijsdijk, Matthew Hotopf

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Alcohol use is increasing in non-Western countries. However, the effects of this increase on the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) remains unknown, particularly in South Asia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and AUD in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Environmental risk factors and psychiatric correlates were also examined.

Methods: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess alcohol use and psychiatric disorders in a population based sample of 6014 twins and singletons in the Colombo region of Sri Lanka.

Results: Lifetime alcohol use on 12 or more occasions was estimated at 63.1% (95% CI: 61.3-64.9) in men and 3.7% (95% CI: 3.0-4.3) in women. Prevalence of lifetime alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in men was 6.2% (95% CI: 5.3-7.1) and 4.0% (95% CI: 3.3-4.7) respectively. Lower standard of living was independently associated with alcohol use and dependence but not abuse. Significant associations between lifetime AUD and other psychiatric disorders were observed.

Conclusions: Lower prevalence of alcohol use and AUD was observed compared to Western countries. Prevalence of alcohol use and AUD were higher than previous reports. Socio-demographic and environmental risk factors appear to be similar across cultures as were associations between AUD and other psychiatric disorders.

Original language	English
Article number	158
Number of pages	8
Journal	BMC Psychiatry
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-015-0549-z
Publication status	Published - 14 Jul 2015

Keywords

Alcohol use
Alcohol use disorders
Comorbidity
Sri lanka

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1186/s12888-015-0549-zLicence: CC BY

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title = "The prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders: A population based study in Colombo, Sri Lanka",

abstract = "Background: Alcohol use is increasing in non-Western countries. However, the effects of this increase on the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) remains unknown, particularly in South Asia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and AUD in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Environmental risk factors and psychiatric correlates were also examined. Methods: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess alcohol use and psychiatric disorders in a population based sample of 6014 twins and singletons in the Colombo region of Sri Lanka. Results: Lifetime alcohol use on 12 or more occasions was estimated at 63.1% (95% CI: 61.3-64.9) in men and 3.7% (95% CI: 3.0-4.3) in women. Prevalence of lifetime alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in men was 6.2% (95% CI: 5.3-7.1) and 4.0% (95% CI: 3.3-4.7) respectively. Lower standard of living was independently associated with alcohol use and dependence but not abuse. Significant associations between lifetime AUD and other psychiatric disorders were observed. Conclusions: Lower prevalence of alcohol use and AUD was observed compared to Western countries. Prevalence of alcohol use and AUD were higher than previous reports. Socio-demographic and environmental risk factors appear to be similar across cultures as were associations between AUD and other psychiatric disorders.",

keywords = "Alcohol use, Alcohol use disorders, Comorbidity, Sri lanka",

author = "Zavos, {Helena M S} and Sisira Siribaddana and Ball, {Harriet A.} and Lynskey, {Michael T.} and Athula Sumathipala and Rijsdijk, {Fr{\"u}hling V.} and Matthew Hotopf",

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T2 - A population based study in Colombo, Sri Lanka

AU - Zavos, Helena M S

AU - Siribaddana, Sisira

AU - Ball, Harriet A.

AU - Lynskey, Michael T.

AU - Sumathipala, Athula

AU - Rijsdijk, Frühling V.

AU - Hotopf, Matthew

PY - 2015/7/14

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N2 - Background: Alcohol use is increasing in non-Western countries. However, the effects of this increase on the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) remains unknown, particularly in South Asia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and AUD in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Environmental risk factors and psychiatric correlates were also examined. Methods: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess alcohol use and psychiatric disorders in a population based sample of 6014 twins and singletons in the Colombo region of Sri Lanka. Results: Lifetime alcohol use on 12 or more occasions was estimated at 63.1% (95% CI: 61.3-64.9) in men and 3.7% (95% CI: 3.0-4.3) in women. Prevalence of lifetime alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in men was 6.2% (95% CI: 5.3-7.1) and 4.0% (95% CI: 3.3-4.7) respectively. Lower standard of living was independently associated with alcohol use and dependence but not abuse. Significant associations between lifetime AUD and other psychiatric disorders were observed. Conclusions: Lower prevalence of alcohol use and AUD was observed compared to Western countries. Prevalence of alcohol use and AUD were higher than previous reports. Socio-demographic and environmental risk factors appear to be similar across cultures as were associations between AUD and other psychiatric disorders.

AB - Background: Alcohol use is increasing in non-Western countries. However, the effects of this increase on the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) remains unknown, particularly in South Asia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and AUD in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Environmental risk factors and psychiatric correlates were also examined. Methods: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess alcohol use and psychiatric disorders in a population based sample of 6014 twins and singletons in the Colombo region of Sri Lanka. Results: Lifetime alcohol use on 12 or more occasions was estimated at 63.1% (95% CI: 61.3-64.9) in men and 3.7% (95% CI: 3.0-4.3) in women. Prevalence of lifetime alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in men was 6.2% (95% CI: 5.3-7.1) and 4.0% (95% CI: 3.3-4.7) respectively. Lower standard of living was independently associated with alcohol use and dependence but not abuse. Significant associations between lifetime AUD and other psychiatric disorders were observed. Conclusions: Lower prevalence of alcohol use and AUD was observed compared to Western countries. Prevalence of alcohol use and AUD were higher than previous reports. Socio-demographic and environmental risk factors appear to be similar across cultures as were associations between AUD and other psychiatric disorders.

KW - Alcohol use

KW - Alcohol use disorders

KW - Comorbidity

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JF - BMC Psychiatry

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ER -

The prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders: A population based study in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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