Willingness to Quit Alcohol Use and Its Associated Factors Among Male Outpatients Attending Urban Primary Health Centers in Delhi

Context: Harmful use of alcohol has led to 1.7 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases and 1 million injury deaths including road traffic accidents, self-harm, and interpersonal violence. The opportunistic screening can be used to screen for substance abuse in outpatient department (OPD) attendees of primary health-care (PHC) settings in India.

Aims: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of willingness to quit alcohol use among alcohol users and factors associated with it.

Subjects And Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in urban PHCs and willingness to quit alcohol was assessed among the alcohol users. Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) scale was used to assess the alcohol use disorder score. Data were entered using Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using STATA version 14.

Results: It is found that two-third of the male OPD patients are using alcohol and 59% of the alcohol users were willing to quit alcohol. Education (adjusted prevalence rate ratio [aPR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.9), occupation (aPR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.8), higher AUDIT scores (aPR = 2.7; 95% CI: 2.2-3.5), frequency of alcohol use (aPR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2-2.0), and positive family history of alcohol-related illness times (aPR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.3-2.0) were significantly associated with willingness to quit alcohol.

Conclusion: Two-third of the male OPD patients are using alcohol and 59% of the alcohol users were willing to quit alcohol. Education, occupation, higher AUDIT scores, frequency of alcohol use, and positive family history of alcohol-related illness were significantly associated with willingness to quit alcohol.