Modern lifestyle risks associated with alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking in Ukraine

ABSTRACT

Background

Substance uses confer huge risks to public health in modern society. This study aimed to evaluate current factors related to alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking in the Republic of Ukraine.

Methods

We distributed a questionnaire to healthy volunteers in four Ukrainian regions and collected 929 responses regarding demographic information, reasons for starting substance use, substance use family history, environmental factors, use pattern (Internet, drinking, or smoking), consequences of drinking, and insomnia. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors related to alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking.

Results

Aging appeared to attenuate either drinking or smoking. To reduce school- or job-related stress, staying awake, peer pressure, friend-related issues, to increase sexual desire, and single parenting all would trigger drinking; male gender, family divorce, unhealthy diet, and lack of awareness about harmful consequences were the main factors leading to smoking. Logistic regression analysis suggested that education background, sleep problems, celebration events, and lengthy Internet work all could contribute to drinking.

Conclusions

Various real-world factors related to substance uses were identified for the public of Ukraine. A validated instrument would help to identify risk factors in patients with substance use disorders.

KEYWORDS:

• Modern environment
• drinking
• smoking
• lifestyle
• diet

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the expertise of Dr Olena Zhabenko and Professor Shuqiao Yao during the development of the instrument and the support of Lyubov M. Markozova, Valeriy V. Shalashov, Tatiana N. Prilutskaya, and Aleksander I. Minko for the collection of responses. Dr Nora D. Volkow made critical suggestions for both the instrument and manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

The authors reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.