Alcohol Use Disorder in Southwestern and Northern Uganda: Prevalence and associated factors.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Substance Abuse Research

Background:

• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) poses a significant global public health challenge, impacting individual livelihoods and contributing to adverse health outcomes.
• Understanding the prevalence and associated factors of AUD is crucial for developing targeted interventions, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) among adults in Lira and Isingiro districts, Uganda.
• To identify factors independently associated with AUD in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted among 577 adults using multistage sampling in Ugandan households.
• Data were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT).
• Binary Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine factors associated with AUD (AUDIT score ≥ 8).

Main Results:

• The prevalence of AUD was 39.9% (230/577) among the study participants.
• Significant factors associated with AUD included being male (aOR=8.01), age group 31-50 years (aOR=2.00), family members using alcohol (aOR=4.09), and experiencing major stressors (aOR=3.58).
• Secondary education (aOR=0.63) and use of other substances (aOR=1.79) were also significantly associated with AUD.

Conclusions:

• Alcohol use disorder is highly prevalent among adults in Uganda, with specific demographic and social factors increasing risk.
• Interventions should address male populations, family influences, co-occurring substance use, and major life stressors.
• Strengthening alcohol use regulation and providing rehabilitation services are recommended for the Ministry of Health and stakeholders.