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Original research article

Prevalence of problems with alcohol, marijuana and gambling among patients in a Regional Hospital in Northern Greenland: investigating the potential for brief interventions in a hospital setting

ORCID Icon, , , ORCID Icon, & ORCID Icon
Article: 1771950 | Received 23 Dec 2019, Accepted 06 May 2020, Published online: 01 Jun 2020
 

ABSTRACT

Problems with alcohol, marijuana and gambling are major public health challenges in Greenland but their prevalence in a hospital setting has not been explored. Healthcare facilities play a significant role in Greenland. One important aspect is their provision of both primary and secondary healthcare services to a small and scattered population while their potential as settings for screening for problems with alcohol, substances and gambling is an unexplored area with large public health potential. This study explored the prevalences of problems with alcohol, marijuana and gambling in a hospital and the potential for the use of a hospital as a setting for screening for alcohol, substance and gambling problems. Patients from the Northern Ilulissat Hospital filled in a self-administered questionnaire regarding their behaviour related to alcohol, marijuana and gambling. Data were weighted and compared to the nationally representative 2018 Health Survey. In the Ilulissat Survey, a large proportion were abstainers but there were still problems related to alcohol, marijuana and gambling indicating a potential for screening in a hospital setting. The results based on data from 2,554 respondents showed that prevalences of problems with alcohol, marijuana and gambling are lower in the Ilulissat Survey compared to the 2018 Health Survey.

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank all participants for their time and participation.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Ethics

All participants gave informed consent. Both surveys were reported to the Greenlandic Ethics Committee.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Greenlandic Health Research Council.  [No number].