Social determinants of hazardous alcohol use in a Ugandan population cohort

There is a limited population-based data on hazardous alcohol use and associated social determinants in many African countries. To examine patterns of hazardous alcohol use across a range of social determinants of health in Uganda, with a particular focus on gender differences. This cross-sectional study used data collected in 2021-2022 from an open population cohort spanning urban, semi-urban, and rural communities. Alcohol use was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). Covariates were selected according to the WHO's Social Determinants of Health framework. Poisson regression with robust variance was used for data analysis. Of the 3459 participants, 2085 (60%) were women. Overall, the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use was 5% among women and 18% among men. Strong positive associations with hazardous use were found for individuals residing in semi-urban areas (female aPR 2.1 [95% CI 1.3-3.3], male aPR 1.8 [95% CI 1.4-2.5]), past-year perpetration of intimate partner violence (female aPR 2.2 [95% CI 0.8-5.6], male aPR 1.4 [95% CI 0.9-2.2]), smoking, middle age for men (aPR 1.6 [95% CI 1.2-2.2]), and employment as a vendor in a restaurant or bar for women (aPR 1.5 [95% CI 1.0-2.2]). Strong negative associations were found for high educational attainment, Muslim or Pentecostal religion, and living in a marriage or union for women (aPR 0.7 [95% CI 0.5-1.0]). Hazardous alcohol use was prevalent, especially among men, in a representative Ugandan population sample. Specific target groups for public health and clinical interventions were identified, such as women working in the hospitality sector. Residents of semi-urban communities may encounter unique risks for hazardous alcohol use, compared with rural and highly urban populations. MEDLINE

Citation

Ziegel, L., Sjöland, C. F., Nabunya, E., Bulamba, R., Kyasanku, E., Mugamba, S., … Ekström, A. M. (2025). Social determinants of hazardous alcohol use in a Ugandan population cohort. Global Health Action, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2025.2484870

URI

https://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/12031

Collections

Social Sciences

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