Lifetime and 12 Months Prevalence of Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorders Among Soldiers Residing in a Military Community in Ibadan

ABSTRACT

Objective: Aims of the study were to determine lifetime and 12 months prevalence of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders and the profile of problems associated with the diagnoses of alcohol use disorders among a military population in Nigeria. Method: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 223 military officers were interviewed by multistage stratified systematic sampling method. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) version 7.0 was used to generate data on prevalence of lifetime and current alcohol use, alcohol use disorders, and associated profile of problems. Chi square statistics, Wilcoxon-signed rank test, and binary regression analysis were used to explore the correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder. All analyses were carried using SPSS Version 17.0. Results: Prevalence of lifetime alcohol use was 76.0%, 12 months prevalence was 53.9%, and frequent binge drinking was reported in 6.7% of respondents. Predictors of lifetime alcohol use were: Hausa/Fulani ethnicity OR = 1.51, 95% CI (1.11–8.71), Igbo ethnicity OR = 1.46, 95% CI (1.09–7.01), involvement in combat OR = 1.41, 95% CI (1.01–6.16). Predictors of 12 months alcohol use were: Hausa/Fulani ethnicity OR = 1.98, 95% CI (1.25–8.71), involvement in combat OR = 1.39 95% CI (1.01–5.28) and junior rank soldier OR = 2.08, 95% CI (1.47–8.99) while predictors of lifetime alcohol use disorders were: Hausa/Fulani ethnicity OR = 2.22, 95% CI (1.03–6.99) and involvement in combat OR = 2.04 95% CI (1.12–6.81). Conclusion: Alcohol misuse is highly prevalent in the Nigerian military and its associated factors exemplify the common “military drinking culture.”

KEYWORDS:

• Lifetime prevalence
• 12 month prevalence
• alcohol
• military
• combat
• involvement

Acknowledgment

Ijomata N. Ijomanta was involved in study design and planning, and performed the data collection and entry. Victor O. Lasebikan was involved in data analysis and manuscript writing. Both authors performed manuscript editing.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ijomata N. Ijomanta

Ijomata N. Ijomanta, fss MBBS, FWACP, is a lieutenant colonel in the Nigerian Army, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of Department of Psychiatry/ Chief Clinician, 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. He received his medical training in Nigeria and his post graduate training in psychiatry at the West African College of Physicians. His research area is in addiction.

Victor O. Lasebikan

Victor O. Lasebikan, B.Sc., Hons Health Sciences, M.B., CH.B, M.Sc. MPH, Ph.D., FWACP, Psychosomatic Specialist Cert., is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and a Consultant Psychiatrist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. He received his medical training in Nigeria and his post graduate training in addiction at the Institute of Psychiatry, King College London, University of Adelaide, Australia and the Virginia Commonwealth University, United States. He also attended the West African College of Physicians and also has the Psychosomatic Specialist Certificate from the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine. His research areas are addiction, consultation liaison psychiatry and community medicine.