Tracking the pattern of alcohol consumption among homeless people

ABSTRACT

Objective

To estimate the pattern of alcohol consumption among homeless people in a Brazilian capital city.

Method

It applied a previously validated form to obtain data and for alcohol consumption, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test instrument in people living on the streets, in the period from August 2018 to February 2019 recruited by convenience. The study met the ethical aspects.

Results

The sample was composed of 125 homeless people. There was a predominance of males, 107 (85.6%), aged over 30 years. Of the participants, 85 (68%) had a pattern of alcohol consumption classified as probable dependence, related to Sexually Transmitted Infections and use of other drugs. Only eight (6.4%) had low risk consumption.

Conclusion

The pattern of alcohol consumption in this population is high risk. It highlights the need for the development of interventions, especially the educational, aimed at harm reduction and self-preservation of health and referral of cases to specialized health care.

KEYWORDS:

• Homeless persons
• alcoholism
• alcohol drinking
• illicit drugs
• sexually transmitted diseases

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research has not received any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.