Smoking and Drinking Patterns Among Residents of Li Ethnic Minority Villages in Hainan, China

Abstract

Background. In China, approximately 67% of male adults are smokers and 64% of them are drinkers. Tobacco and alcohol use are more prevalent among many of China's 55 ethnic minority populations, but specific data are lacking for them, including the Li population.

Methods. Cross-sectional data from 379 residents sampled from 12 Li villages in Hainan Province were used for this analysis. Data were collected in 2003 using a questionnaire adopted from the U.S. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Both lifetime and current use of tobacco and alcohol products, including prevalence, frequency and amount of use, as well as age patterns of onset of use were assessed.

Findings. Eighty-five percent of the sample were Li minority and 43% were female with a mean age of 34.7 years (SD = 14.5). While fewer female subjects of the sample reported smoking (1.9% of lifetime smoking) and drinking (21.0% lifetime drinking), 84.1% of the male sample were lifetime smokers and 92.5% were lifetime drinkers; 78.1% were 30-day smokers and 88.4% were 30-day drinkers; and 58.6% were daily smokers and 15.8% were daily drinkers. In addition, 79.1% male villagers were binge drinkers, and 21.4% were intoxicated in the past month. The risk of onset of smoking and drinking increased after 10 years of age, peaked at 18–19 years (hazard = 16.0% for smoking and 19.5% for drinking), then declined until leveling off at 25 years of age. Eighty-five to 97% of the males simultaneously used alcohol and tobacco.

Conclusions. The prevalence rates of tobacco and alcohol use in Li male villagers are higher than those of the national average and other ethnic minorities in China. In-depth studies are needed to obtain more detailed information regarding issues such as detailed types of tobacco and alcohol products, causes of use, as well as willingness to participate in tobacco and alcohol control interventions in order to develop and deliver substantial intervention programs.

Keywords:

• tobacco
• alcohol
• Li ethnic minority
• China

Additional information

Notes on contributors

XIAOLAN TANG

Xiaolan Tang, M.D., M.P.H., is Professor of Preventive Medicine and Director of the Department of Epidemiology at Hainan Medical College, Hainan Province, China. She received her M.D. and M.P.H. from Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, China. Dr. Tang has years of experience conducting both domestically and internationally funded projects. She currently focuses on substance use and HIV/AIDS prevention research among Chinese ethnic populations.

XINGUANG CHEN

Xinguang Chen, M.D., Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Wayne State University, Michigan, the United States. He received his M.D. from Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, China and Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Dr. Chen has years of research on substance use across the Pacific using behavioral epidemiology approach with a transdisciplinary/cross-cultural perspective.

HANWU LI

Hanwu Li, M.A., is Professor of the Department of Social Medicine at Hainan Medical College, Hainan Province, China. He received his M.A. from Wuhan University, China with a major in Philosophy. In addition to editing journals, teaching students, and performing administration duties, he is interested in social medicine research with a multiple disciplinary approach, including medicine, sociology, psychology, and philosophy.

XIAOMING LI

Xiaoming Li, Ph.D., is Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Pediatric Prevention Research Center at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Michigan, United States. He received his doctoral degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. His current research interests include international health and health risk reduction among children and adolescents.