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Social inequality and alcohol consumption-abuse in Bahia, Brazil

Interactions of gender, ethnicity and social class

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Abstract

Background

This paper reports findings on Alcohol Consumption-Abuse (ACAb) in Bahia, Brazil, a research setting characterized by racial/ethnic and socioeconomic diversity.

Methods

A household survey was conducted with a sample of 2,302 adults. ACAb was defined as daily intake of more than two units of beverage, with drunkenness, or weekly binge drinking plus episodes of drunkenness, or any use of alcoholic beverages with frequent drunkenness, with failed attempts to stop drinking.

Results

The rate of 12-month prevalence was 7%, with an overall male: female ratio of 6:1. A positive association of ACAb prevalence with education and social class was found. Male gender and higher socio-economic status were associated with increased odds of ACAb. No relationship was found between ethnicity and ACAb. Stratified analysis yielded consistent gender effects, throughout all strata of independent variables. A strong interaction of gender (male) and social class (upper class) was found for Mulattos and Morenos (maximum Prevalence rate = 9.04).

Conclusion

Interaction patterns found defy simple generalizations based on class, ethnicity, and gender considered alone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Saúde, Coletiva at the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil

    Naomar Almeida-Filho, Ines Lessa, Lucélia Magalhães, Maria Jenny Araújo & Estela Aquino

  2. Center for Society and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston (MA), USA

    Naomar Almeida-Filho & Ichiro Kawachi

  3. Palácio da Reitoria, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Augusto Vianna, 1, Campus Canela, Salvador, Bahia, 40210-070, Brazil

    Naomar Almeida-Filho

  4. Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham (NC), USA

    Sherman A. James

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  1. Naomar Almeida-Filho
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  2. Ines Lessa
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  3. Lucélia Magalhães
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Correspondence to Naomar Almeida-Filho.

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Almeida-Filho, N., Lessa, I., Magalhães, L. et al. Social inequality and alcohol consumption-abuse in Bahia, Brazil. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 40, 214–222 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0883-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0883-4

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