Kenyan men still ahead of women in alcohol consumption
Data from the recently released Kenya Demographic Health Survey shows that men still consume more alcohol than women.
Kenya’s battle with alcoholism is still far from over. Data from the recently released Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) shows that men still consume more alcohol than women, as reported by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).
According to the KDHS, half of men from Tharaka-Nithi County consumed at least one alcoholic drink in the month before the survey, making the county’s figure the highest in the country. It is followed by Embu, Machakos, and Murang’a (all with 40 per cent).
The report also says that in Turkana, women consume more alcohol than men (15 per cent), followed by Kiambu and Murang’a, both at 11 per cent.
For every woman that consumed at least one alcoholic beverage in the month before the survey, there were five men. And for every woman who consumed alcohol every day or almost every day, there were two men.
“Among women who consumed alcohol during the preceding month, 38 per cent consumed only one drink on days when alcohol was consumed, while 26 per cent consumed two drinks and 15 per cent consumed three drinks. In comparison, 25 per cent of men consumed only one drink, 28 per cent consumed two drinks, while 22 per cent consumed three drinks on days when alcohol was consumed,” said the report.
Men in urban areas also consumed more alcohol in the past one month compared to those in rural areas. The report also adds that men consume more alcohol every day as they age, and that those who are richer consume less alcohol every day or almost every day than those who are poor.
“The percentage of men who consume alcohol every day or almost every day increases from five per cent among men age 15–19 to 19 per cent among those aged 45–49. The percentage of men who consume alcohol every day or almost every day decreases from 19 per cent among men in the lowest wealth quintile to 9 per cent among those in the highest wealth quintile.”
The same report established that even though alcohol is the second most known substance after tobacco, it was consumed by more people as compared to tobacco. This was attributed to an “increasing demand for cheaper and readily available alcoholic products especially chang’aa and traditional brews”.
More men than women also consumed alcohol, with the youth aged between 25 and 35 most affected. They also abused tobacco, khat, cannabis, and prescription drugs, thus putting them at risk of depressive disorders. Predictably, because of the higher use, “alcohol use disorders were the most commonly reported disorders”.
“At the national level, the prevalence of alcohol use disorders was 10 per cent and highest in the Western region at 17 per cent. Nyanza region with 9 per cent and Western region with 6 per cent had the highest prevalence of severe AUDs, respectively,” said the report.
“For the population aged between 15 and 24 years, two per cent had severe alcohol use disorders. At the national level, the prevalence of alcohol use disorders for this age group was 6 per cent and the highest in the Nairobi region at 10 per cent. The Eastern region with four per cent and the Central region with three per cent had the highest prevalence of severe alcohol use disorders respectively.”
“For the population aged between 25 and 35 years, seven per cent had severe alcohol use disorders. At the national level, the prevalence for this age group was 14 per cent and highest in the Western region at 24.5 per cent. The western region with 18 per cent and the Nyanza region with 10 per cent had the highest prevalence of severe alcohol use disorders, respectively.”
When questioned, Kenyans said that production, distribution and consumption of illicit brews was widespread in their communities, and that the number of bars had risen in their communities in the last five years. Half of them said that more minors had also taken to drinking alcohol in the same period.
“Data shows that the average age category for initiation of tobacco, alcohol, khat, cannabis, prescription drugs, cocaine, and heroin was between 16 and20 years. However, the minimum age of initiation for tobacco was six years, alcohol (seven years), cannabis (eight years), khat (nine years), prescription drugs (eight years), heroin (18years), and cocaine (20 years).
Those (43 per cent) who said they had abstained from drugs and substances of abuse cited “awareness of health effects, a personal decision to lead a drug-free life, religious values, personal principles, parental restrictions and medical reasons or illness.
They also explained that the substances were expensive for them, they feared being stigmatised, had a past bad experience with a drug and positive peer pressure influence from friends. Others said the substance was not readily available, they had a work or school commitment, or they were treated for the use and were not willing to continue.
“Further analysis of the reasons for abstaining by region showed that awareness of health effects was the most commonly mentioned protective factor in Nairobi, Central, Coast, Nyanza, and Rift Valley; personal principles were the most commonly mentioned protective factor in the Western region; and religious values were the most commonly reported protective factor in North Eastern region,” said the report.
In a bid to end drug and substance use, NACADA recommends that the production, distribution, sale, and consumption of illicit brews needs to be controlled. It also recommends “tailored prevention programmes and regular factual messaging to counter myths, misinformation, and misconceptions related to alcohol, drugs, and substances of abuse; especially among the youth.”
