Prevalence and Predictors of Harmful Alcohol use in a Sub-urban Community in North-Central Nigeria

Alcohol is a commonly used beverage with adverse health and socio-economic consequences when consumed in excessive amounts.  This study determined the prevalence and predictors of hazardous alcohol use in a sub-urban community in Plateau state, Nigeria. Consenting adults aged 18 years and above were selected using multi stage sampling technique. They completed a semi–structured interviewer administered questionnaire adapted from Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test–Geriatric Version (SMAST-G) and the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) tools. Majority 154 (55) of the 280 respondents were males and about half were farmers. About 150 (53.6) of respondents had ever consumed alcohol as at the time of data collection and112 (77.4) of them were currently using alcohol. Harmful use was prevalent in 93 (83) of current users. Being male, belonging to age group 38-45years, and being a civil servant or a business person positively predicted harmful use of alcohol while consuming burukutu, was a negative predictor of harmful use. Control efforts need to target these groups to reduce the negative health and socio-economic consequences of alcohol use in the community.