An Analytical Study of the Epidemiological Profile of Alcoholics

 

John Masih¹*, Deepak Kumar², Sanjay Kumar²

¹Associate Professor, Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Jagdalpur

²Assistant Professor, Late BRKM Govt. Medical College, Jagdalpur

 

ABSTRACT:

Background: Alcohol has been used for centuries to obtain relief from discomfort and tension. It is very difficult to draw a line of demarcation between drinking of alcohol as a social habit or as a medical problem. Loosely a person should be considered alcoholic, if his / her drink interferes with her/his physical and mental health as well as his/her social and economic life. Objective: To assess the epidemiological profile of alcoholics. Nature of study: it was an retrospective study Material and method: The data was collected from the sampled cases in a pre drawn ,pre tested questionnaire Variables:Age,sex,their diet pattern, smoking habit,B.M.I.,random Blood Sugar level and Blood Pressure etc..Stastistical analysis: were expressed in simple terms of proportion Findings and interpretation: it has been revealed that majority of alcoholics were adolescents. 96 % Alcoholics were also indulging in the habit of smoking and the rest 4 % found non-smokers.100.0 percentage Alcoholics were non-vegetarian. 96 % Alcoholics were also indulging in the habit of smoking. Only 12.0 % diabetic alcoholics were in the normal range as per B.M.I. in comparison to 24.0 % non-diabetic. 36.0 % and 12.0 % belong to Group-II and Group-III respectively as per R.B.S. level.  Conclusion: There were dual addiction in most of the alcoholics, which is very dangerous for their health though both addiction (alcohol and tobacco), are modifiable risk factor.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Alcohol has been used for centuries to obtain relief from discomfort and tension.  An average adult can metabolize about 2 ounces of pure alcohol in 24 hours; signs of intoxication appear when the blood concentration exceeds 0.2 %. It is very difficult to draw a line of demarcation between drinking of alcohol as a social habit or as a medical problem. Loosely a person should be considered alcoholic, if his / her drink interferes with her/his physical and mental health as well as his/her social and economic life (1). Alcohol may encourage prostitution and contrariwise, prostitution may boost the sales of alcohol.

 

 

The indirect effect of alcohol in the break up of families, causation of Sexually Transmitted Diseases including HIV/AIDS etc.can't be ruled out (2). By keeping in mind the above facts and as per recommendations of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) study group in 1957, that in order to get a comprehensive picture of a health problem / disease , more and more  studies about the same  have to be conducted ,Garg Narenra K.(3) and Garg Narenra K.and Sharma A.B.(4), the authors have under taken this study with the objective to  analysis the epidemiological profile of alcoholics.

 

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

This study was carried out in, Pt. JNM Medical College, Raipur (C.G.) between May 2003 and May 2004 in the department of Medicine.Prelimenary data of all sampled persons, such as Name, Age, sex, dietary pattern etc were recorded in a pre drawn, pre tested questionnaire. Their history of smoking and alcohol intake was recorded. Blood Pressure (B.P.) of all sampled persons

Table-I Diabetic and Non - Diabetic Alcoholics As Per Their Age and Gender N=25

	Age and Gender										Total
	31-40		41-50		51-60		61-70		71and above
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Diabetic-Alcoholics	00(00.0)	00(00.0)	04(16.0)	00(00.0)	03(12.0)	00(00.0)	03(12.0)	00(00.0)	02(8.0)	00(0.0)	12(48.0)
Non-diabetic - Alcoholics	05(20.0)	00(00.0)	03(12.0)	00(00.0)	04(16.0)	00(00.0)	01(4.0)	00(00.0)	00(0.0)	00(0.0)	13(52.0)
Total	05(20.0)	00(00.0)	07(28.0)	00(00.0)	07(28.0)	00(00.0)	04(16.0)	00(00.0)	02(8.0)	00(0.0)	25(100.0)

Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage 

 

was taken and recorded in the questionnaire. Their Random Blood Sugar (R.B.S.) level was also noted down (Table-I).

 

FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS:

On analysis of the collected data, it has been revealed that there was no female Alcoholic in the present study i.e. all were male alcoholics. Out of sampled alcoholics, 48 % and 52% were diabetic and non-diabetic alcoholic respectively. On further analysis ,20 %were in the age group of 31-40 years of age.28 % each belonging to 41-50  and 51-60 years of age group , 16 % in 61-70 years of age and the rest 8 % were in 71 and above years of age group (Table-I). Thus it has been revealed that majority of alcoholics were adolescents. It has been further revealed that 100.0 % Alcoholics were non-vegetarian.

 

96 % Alcoholics were also indulge in the habit of smoking and the rest 4 % found non smoker s (Table-II). This revealed that there were dual addiction in most of the alcoholics, which is very dangerous for their health though both addiction (alcohol and tobacco), are modifiable risk factor.

 

Only 12.0 % diabetic alcoholics were in the normal range as per B.M.I. in comparison to 24.0 % non-diabetic while 24.0 % each diabetic and non diabetic belong to overweight category who are at risk of passing to the higher category i.e. obese .On further analysis it has been observed that 16.0 % alcoholics belong to Class-I and above category of B.M.I (Table-III).Thus the authors reached to the conclusion that at least ,these 64.0 % (overweight and Class-I and above category) alcoholics need to be modify their life styles for maintain good health. 20 % (12% Diabetic and 8%non-diabetic) Alcoholic were normotensive. 40 % (16 % and 24 % diabetic and non-diabetic respectively) pre hypertensive .It was further noted that 40 % (20 % each diabetic and non-diabetic) belong to Stage –I and above stages of Hypertension (Table-IV). (Table-V) shows that more than half of the alcoholics belong to Group-I as per their R.B.S. level while 36.0 % and 12.0 % belong to Group-II and Group-III respectively as per R.B.S. level.

 

Table – II Alcoholics As Per Their Smoking Habit N=25

	Smokers	Non-Smokers	Total
Male	24(96.0)	00(00.0)	24(96.0)
Female	01(04.0)	00(00.0)	01(04.0)
Total	25(100.0)	00(00.0)	25(100.0)

Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage

 

 

TABLE-III Alcoholics as per their BMI and Diabetic status n=50

	Normal 18.5-24.9		Over weight 25-29.9		Class-I 30-34.9		Class-II and III 35 and above		Total
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Diabetics n=12	03(12.0)	00(0.0)	06(24.0)	00(0.0)	02(8.0)	00(0.0)	01(4.0)	00(0.0)	12(48.0)
Non-diabetics n=13	06(24.0)	00(0.0)	06(24.0)	00(0.0)	01(4.0)	00(0.0)	00(0.0)	00(0.0)	13(52.0)
Total	09(36.0)	00(0.0)	12(48.0)	00(0.0)	03(12.0)	00(0.0)	01(4.0)	00(0.0)	25(100.0)

Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage

 

Table-IV Diabetic And Non-Diabetic Alcoholics As Per Their Blood Pressure 

Hypertension		Normotensive (<120/<80)		Pre- Hypertensive (120-139/80-89)		Stage -I Hypertension (140-159/90-99)		Stage -II and III Hypertension (>160/>100)		Total
Gender		M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Alcoholic	Diabetic n=12	03(12.0)	00(0.0)	04(16.0)	00(0.0)	01(4.0)	00(0.0)	04(16.0)	00(0.0)	12(48.0)
	Non-Diabetic n=13	02(8.0)	00(0.0)	06(24.0)	00(0.0)	03(12.0)	00(0.0)	02(8.0)	00(0.0)	13(52.0)
Total		05(20.0)	00(0.0)	10(40.0)	00(0.0)	04(16.0)	00(0.0)	06(24.0)	00(0.0)	25(100.0)

Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage

 

 

Table—V Smokers as per their Gender and Random blood Sugar (RBS) level

Gender	Random blood Sugar level
	Group –I (<160mg/dl)	Group-II (160– 200mg/dl)	Group –III (>200mg/dl)	Total
Male	13 (52.0)	09(36.0)	03(12.0)	25(100.0)
Female	00(0.0)	00(0.0)	00(0.0)	00(0.0)
Total	13 (52.0)	09(36.0)	03(12.0)	25(100.0)

Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage

It is well established that moderate alcohol consumption may ward off heart disease. However, even after heart attack, an alcoholic drink a day may be good for a man's health, reports the European Heart Journal. After controlling for smoking,BMI,,Diabetes,high BP, use Aspirin and other factors ,the researchers found, compared with abstainers ,men who drunk one or two glasses of beer or wine daily, or one or two shots of liquor, were 34 % less likely to die of any cause and 42 % less likely to die of heart disease (5). A tipple a day seems to be good for aging bones. The researchers from the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University in the U.S. said that one or two alcoholic drinks regularly could help curb bone loss in the elderly, especially in women. They found that women who drink moderately – one or two alcoholic drinks a day – have higher bone density than non-drinkers or heavy drinkers. They further added that it is possible alcohol' may be detrimental to the growing skeleton, but have beneficial effects on the aging skeleton" (6). One or two glasses of wine a day works as well as prescription medicine at protecting older women from thinning bones .Women drinking 19gm of Alcohol a day – about two glasses of wine –had a drop in loss of old bone that improved the balance between old and new bone, maintaining strength, as per research from the Oregon State University in the U.S. When the women were asked to stop drinking, their bone loss went up. A sudden fall in the bone-protecting hormone Estrogen after menopause raises the chances of Osteoporosis- or the brittle-bone disease that increases chances of fractures dramatically (7).   A pint of beer or a small glass of wine thrice a week halves the risk of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis (R.A.).This, from researchers in Stockholm's Karolinska Institute who think alcohol can help prevent the disease by damping down the immune system. All types of drink appeared equally as effective, a Telegraph report added. Physicians commented on the study findings, cautioned that drinking alcohol in excesses can be dangerous in patients taking anti-rheumatoid drugs and painkillers that can cause liver damage. Excess alcohol can exacerbate the side effects of medication (8). 

 

Following the trend of cough medicine ,hand sanitizer is the latest in a string of house hold items used to induce intoxication and has public health officials worried as a few squirts of it could equal to a couple of shots of hard liquor. This is rapidly trend, ABC news quoted Cyrus Rangen, medical toxicology consultant for children's hospital Los Angles. About 2600 cases have been reported in California since 2010, but it has become a national problem. It is not just a localized to us, Helen Arbogast .an injury prevention coordinator in the trauma programme children's hospital Los Angles, said. Since 2009, we can see on You Tube it is in all regions of the country in the South, in the Midwest, in the east, he added (9).

 

Liquid hand sanitizer is 62 % to 65 % ethyl alcohol or ethanol, the main ingredient in beer, wine and spirit, making it 120-proof.To compare, a bottle of Vodka is 80-proof."A few swigs is all it takes to get a person to get the intoxicated effects of alcohol, Cyrus Rangan said. According to doctors, ingestion hand sanitizer can produce the same side effects as consuming large amounts of alcohol-slurred speech, unresponsiveness, possibly falling in to coma state. Rangan further warned that long term used could lead to brain, liver, and kidney damage. Teenagers use salt to break up the alcohol from the sanitizer to get amore powerful dose. These distillation instructions can be found on the internet in tutorial videos that describe in detail how to do it. Using hand sanitizer to induce intoxication is a rapidly emerging trend among teens, especially those who cannot buy alcohol legally. A few squirts has the same effect as a couple of shots of hard liquor ,Sean Nordt, Director of Toxicology at USC Los Angels county emergency department, said he used to get reports of children accidental consume small amounts of hand sanitizer, but now the trend is toward purposeful ingestion by those who cannot purchase or obtain alcohol legally(9).

 

To get rid of this social evil which is engulfing the precious resources i.e. man, money ,material and time, ill effects of alcoholism must be popularized in a big way by using all medias (old or traditional and new, modern or latest technology) suitable as per local needs in the community (4,10 and11).

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The  authors expresses their sincere thanks to Dr. A.K. Bansal, Ex-Professor and H.O.D., Department of Community Medicine,Govt.Medical College ,Jagdalpur (Bastar) 494 001, India, for his constant guidance and encouragement in preparing this manuscript

 

REFERENCES:

1.       Golwala: Textbook of medicine: Alcohol: pp-872-874.

2.       Park JE: Alcoholism: Text Book of Preventive and Social Medicine (A Treatise on Community Medicine) ;M/S Banarsi Das Bhanot,Jabalpur: pp-428:

3.       Garg Narendra K.: Evaluation of the impact of emesis and emesis plus purgation Therapy; Research J Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics: 2 (2) March-April; 2010:201-202.

4.       Garg Narendra K and Sharma A.B.: Epidemiological profile of patients attending a tertiary care hospital, Muktsar,Punjab (India); Research J Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics:3 (6) November-December;2011:311-317

5.       Alcohol after heart attack good too; Sunday Hindustan Times, New Delhi, April 08,2012:pp16

6.       Moderate drinking good for aging bones: Sunday Hindustan Times, New Delhi,July 15,2012:pp-17

7.       A glass of wine, for old thinning bones: Sunday Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 05, 2012: pp-14.

8.       Pegs or two for stiff joints: Sunday Times of India, New Delhi, and July 15, 2012: pp-07

9.       Teens drinking hand sanitizers for a quick high: Sunday Hindustan The Times of India, New Delhi, April 26, 2012: pp-17

10.     Bansal AK and Garg Narendra K; Information, education and communication in context of reproductive and child health including HIV/AIDS: J.of Ravishankar University: Vol.14 ‘No.B (Science) 2001; pp 28-34.

11.     Garg Narendra K and Bansal AK Management of information system in context of health care delvery: J.of Ravishankar University: Vol.14 'No.B(Science)2001;pp 35-40

 

 

 

 

Received on 05.01.2018        Modified on 16.02.2018

Accepted on 23.02.2018       ©A&V Publications All right reserved