Alcohol abuse in a rural community in India. Part II: characteristics of alcohol users

This part of the study dealt with the analysis of the characteristics of alcohol users. About 50% of both male and female users were between 20 and 39 years of age; 8.1% of males and only 1.3% of females used alcohol daily or several times in a week. Desi (country) liquor was the beverage used by more than 85% of the users; 77.5% of males and 96.5% of females consumed less than one quarter of a bottle of alcohol, and 65.3% of males and 93.6% of females were taking alcohol at their houses only. The reasons given for drinking by the majority of users were 'for pleasure', 'for celebration of an event' and 'status symbol'. The quantity/frequency index analysis showed that the percentage of alcoholics was 4.2 and the remaining were social drinkers. Physical, economic and social problems were reported by a significantly higher percentage of alcoholics than social drinkers. The importance of consideration of these factors in formulating a strategy of social policy in the field of alcohol use is emphasised.