Is my drinking a problem? A community-based alcohol intervention programme post-Haiyan in Tacloban City

Area of Science:

• Disaster Public Health
• Substance Use Interventions
• Community-Based Healthcare

Background:

• Typhoon Haiyan severely impacted Tacloban City, a highly urbanized area.
• Pre-existing support for alcohol problems was minimal, with rehabilitation services located far from the affected population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess alcohol-related problems among survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.
• To strengthen local health service support for alcohol issues in Tacloban City.

Main Methods:

• A pilot community-based alcohol intervention program was implemented.
• This included assessing community alcohol problems and healthcare worker (HCW) knowledge.
• HCWs received training in primary care alcohol interventions, followed by community outreach and supervision.

Main Results:

• Alcohol screening revealed that 26% of individuals attending health facilities required alcohol intervention.
• Baseline knowledge among HCWs regarding basic alcohol interventions was low but improved significantly after training.
• Trained HCWs effectively identified individuals with alcohol problems and developed treatment plans during outreach clinics.

Conclusions:

• A significant alcohol problem was identified in Tacloban City post-disaster.
• A community-based alcohol intervention program is feasible even with minimal resources.
• Addressing alcohol-related issues is a crucial public health intervention, and community programs can be established with appropriate referral mechanisms.