Alcoholism among outpatients of a rural district general hospital in Kenya

This article presents the results of a study of alcoholism among outpatients of a rural district hospital in Kenya. One hundred and twelve outpatients aged 18 years or over attending Kisii District Hospital were interviewed using the alcohol section of the Diagnostic Instrument Schedule (DIS). The participants consisted of 56 males and 56 females. Of these, 54% of the males and 25% of the females met the DIS criteria for alcohol abuse and/or alcoholism. Those classified as alcoholics differed significantly from the non-alcoholics on variables associated with sex, age, past marital state, religion and types of alcoholic drinks consumed. No significant differences were found with respect to present marital state, education, occupation, family size, age of first intoxication or physical illness.