Prevalence Study among University Students in Belarus: To What Extent Do Foreigners Experience Alcohol Problems?

Authors: M. O. Welcome, Y. E. Razvodovsky, V. A. Pereverzev

Abstract:

There is a paucity of data on the prevalence of alcohol use and related problems among foreign students in Belarus. We therefore screen for the prevalence of alcohol related problems among the general foreign students- population in Minsk, Belarus. Participants were 135 male university foreign students (average age – 21) from three major universities in Minsk, Belarus. All respondents were administered questionnaire, containing the AUDIT, CAGE, MAST and other alcohol related questions. Overall, 62.2% (n=84) alcohol users and 31.1% (n=42) problem drinkers were identified on the AUDIT. There was a significant increase (from 39.3% to 60.7%) of the total alcohol users after arrival in Belarus (¤ç2 = 7.714, p<0.02). This study shows that the prevalence of alcohol related problems is high among the foreign students- population in Minsk, Belarus.

Keywords: Alcohol related problems, Male foreign students, Prevalence.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1076744

References:

[1] K. Bloomfield, A. Allamani, F. Beck, K. H. Bergmark, L. Csemy, I. Eisenbach-Stangl, et al., "Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: A Multi-national Study. Project Final Report," Berlin: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometrics & Epidemiology, Charité Universit├ñtsmedizin Berlin, 2005, pp. 10-46.
[2] M. O. Welcome, Y. E. Razvodovsky, E. A. Dotsenko, V. A. Pereverzev, "Prevalence of alcohol-linked problems among Nigerian students in Minsk, Belarus and their academic performance," Pð¥rt Harcourt Med J., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 120-129, 2008.
[3] H. Davenport A, G. Dowdall, B. Moeykens, S. Castillo, "Health and Behavioral Consequences of Binge Drinking in College: A National Survey of Students at 140 Campuses," JAMA, vol. 272, no. 21, pp. 1672 -1677, 1994.
[4] M. O. Welcome, Y. E. Razvodovsky, V. A. Pereverzev, "Alcohol problems among young adults in Belarus (Unpublished work style)," unpublished.
[5] K. Mullen, "Religion and health: a review of the literature," Int. J. Sociol. Soc. Policy., vol. 10, no. l, pp. 85-96, 1990.
[6] R. Jessor, S. Jessor, "Problem Behaviour and Psychological Development: A Longitudinal Study of Youth," New York: Academic Press, 1977.
[7] A. M. Greeley, W. C. McCready, G. Theisen, "Ethnic drinking subcultures," New York: Praeger, 1980.
[8] Y. E. Razvodovsky, "All-cause mortality and fatal alcohol poisoning in Belarus, 1970-2005," Drug, Alcohol, Rev., vol. 27, pp. 562-565, 2008.
[9] R. Caetano, C. L. Clark, T. Tam, "Alcohol Consumption Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities," Alcohol. Health. Res. World., vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 233-234, 1998.
[10] Y. E Razvodovsky, "Alcohol and mortality crisis in Belarus," Grodno: Grodno State Medical University Press, 2003.
[11] Y. E. Razvodovsky, "A psychometric analysis of the Russia version of the AUDIT," Alcohol. Alcohol., vol. 38, suppl. L, p. 31, 2005.
[12] R. Caetano, C. L. Clark, T. Tam, "Alcohol Consumption Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities," Alcohol. Health. Res. World., vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 233-234, 1998.
[13] Y. E. Razvodovsky, "Epidemiology of alcoholism in Belarus," Grodno: Grodno State Medical University Press, 2004.
[14] M. J. Bohn, T. F. Babor, H. R. Kranzler, "The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): Validation of a screening instrument for use in medical settings," J. Stud. Alcohol., vol. 56, pp. 423-432, 1995.