Increasing problem of alcohol abuse among the Zambian population in the psychiatric setting

Abstract

Alcohol abuse is related to the development of cancer, neuropsychiatric disorders, cardiovascular diseases and cirrhosis of the liver among others. Level of alcohol abuse varies in different subpopulations and is hypothesized to be high in psychiatry patients. The objective of the study was to determine proportions of patients with history of alcohol abuse and alcohol related disorders in the Psychiatry ward of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. All diagnoses made in the Psychiatry ward between January 2012 and October 2015 were reviewed for frequency of alcohol related disorders. Additionally, randomly selected files in 2016 were examined for history of alcohol abuse. The Chi-squared test was used to compare proportions, while trends were established using simple linear regression. The cut off point for statistical significance was set at 5%. Totals of 6212 (3629 male and 2583 female) and 109 (79 male and 30 female) records were reviewed for alcohol related disorders and alcohol abuse, respectively. More males (75.9%) than females (23.3%) had a history of alcohol abuse (p<0.001). No significant linear trends were observed in the proportion of alcohol related disorders for both gender between 2012 and 2015 (males: slope = 3.980; 95% CI [-1.213, 9.173]; females: slope = 1.101; 95% CI [-1.479, 3.682]). Overall, rates of alcohol related disorders increased linearly from 9.3% in 2012 to 18.7% in 2015 (slope = 2.920; 95% CI [0.099, 5.741]). Proportions of alcohol abuse and alcohol related disorders are high among patients in the Psychiatry ward of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. Generally, the rate of alcohol related disorders is on an increase. Interventions are needed to reduce rates of alcohol abuse and subsequently alcohol related disorders. Rehabilitation centers are needed to provide affected patients with appropriate support.