Prevalence and Factors Associated with Alcohol Use among Dayak Adolescents in Sarawak, Malaysia
https://doi.org/10.47836/mjmhs.19.1.29
- Author:
Mohd Faiz Gahamat
1
;
Md Mizanur Rahman
1
;
Razitasham Safii
1
Author Information
1. Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Alcohol, Dayak, Adolescents, Abstainer, Dependant
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
2023;19(No.1):215-223
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Introduction: Alcohol is classified as a psychoactive substance, and its dependence is one of the three leading risk
factors for death, disability, or disease. Early age alcohol use by the age of 15 is implied to be harmful due to interference in the brain development of adolescents, causing alcohol-related problems later in life. This study aims to
determine the prevalence and factors associated with alcohol use among Dayak adolescents in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional quantitative research approach. A total of 12 districts within the 12 divisions
were selected by multistage stratified cluster sampling. Dayak housing area lists were obtained from district offices
and the local councils. The respondents were selected systematically according to male and female respondent houses, and they were interviewed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into Microsoft
Excel and analysed through IBM SPSS Version 27.0. Results: Dayak adolescents’ mean age was 17.31 years. They
were either low-risk (50.0 %), hazardous (31.0%), abstainers (11.0%), harmful (5.0%) or alcohol dependant (3.0%)
drinkers. Age (p<.001), gender (p<.05), ethnicity (p<.001), religion (p<.05), employment (p<.001), level of education
(p<.01), allowance (p<.001), family relationship (p<.05), and family size (p<.05) were the potential predictors of
alcohol use disorder. Conclusion: Dayak adolescent alcohol drinking is prevalent and a public health problem, particularly among disadvantaged socio-economic families. The lower proportion of abstainers suggested that alcohol
use among adolescents is on the rise. Hence, the results should be utilised to do targeted health promotion regarding harmful alcohol use among adolescents since early use of alcohol among adolescents may lead to more severe
health and non-health outcomes in the future.
- Full text:11.2023my1429.pdf
