Aurelijus Veryga, Jelena Stanislavovienė, Lina Ignatavičiūtė, Mindaugas Štelemėkas, Vaida Liutkutė

Abstract

AUDIT test is a traditional methodology to diagnose harmful use of alcohol. The study summarizes the AUDIT test results from the public survey data which was performed in 2007. Methods. The representative sample of Lithuanian adult (15-74 years old) population has been surveyed in October-December 2007. In total 3302 respondents filled in the questionnaire. The level of harmful use of alcohol was estimated with the AUDIT test. The respondents were also asked to provide additional demographic information as well as information about their expenditure on alcoholic beverages. Results. The harmful use of alcohol was observed in 1/5 of 15-74 years old Lithuanians. The highest prevalence of harmful use of alcohol was among 35-44 years old males, and 25-34 years old females. It was around three times more common among males then among females. The lower education, unemployment, living in rural areas, and living alone were the factors more closely associated with the higher prevalence of problematic alcohol use. Problematic alcohol users spend in average 4 times more money to purchase alcoholic beverages. According to the study results alcohol related problems are associated with significant proportion of Lithuanian population. Special concern must be attributed to a fact that the problematic use of alcohol is high among the people in youngest age groups.

Keyword(s): problematic alcohol use; AUDIT; social factors; expenditures for alcohol
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2013.113
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