Alcoholism prevalence and associated factors. Municipality of Matanzas. 2011-2012

Abstract

Alcoholism is a chronic behavioral disorder, characterized by excessive alcohol intake with respect to the community social and dietetic standards. Nowadays it is one of the main health problems at the world level. We carried out a cross-sectional analytical study, with the aim of quantifying the prevalence of alcoholic beverages consumption in persons aged 15 years and more, and its associated factors in the municipality of Matanzas, during 2011-2012. The universe was formed by the 112 348 inhabitants of Matanzas municipality in the age brackets from 15 to 74 years old. For choosing the sample we took into account the protocol of the Pan-American Health Organization project Group of Multifactor Actions for the Control of Non-transmissible Diseases. In each layer we included 220 persons, so the sample was formed by 2 640 persons. The variables studied as possible alcoholism-associated factors were: age, gender, occupation, smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cholesterol, waist perimeter, the habit of not having breakfast and the inadequate nutritional status. For the statistical analysis we used the risk approach in bivariate analysis, calculating the Odds ratio and confidence intervals in 95 %, and also the p- value, considering a significant statistical association when p<0,05 and the OR confidence interval did not included value 1. Then, these significant variables were object of a multivariate analysis for obtaining the true associated variables, and also the confusing variables. The main obtained results were that alcoholism prevalence was 4,1 per each 100 persons, finding the higher prevalence (7,7) in the age group 45-54 years, and in male gender with 7,6. The main alcoholism-associated factors were: male gender, smoking, not having breakfast and inadequate waist index.