Determinants and consequences of alcohol consumption among male adult Myanmar migrant workers in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand

Abstract

To examine the factors that determine upon alcohol consumption pattern with drinking consequences among male adult Myanmar migrant workers in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand, the cross-sectional study conducted during March, 2012. The multistage sampling method was applied in 347 respondents for quantitative research. The data was collected in face to face structured interview questionnaire. The tools for accessing the research objectives were adapted from image using pattern assessments, AUDIT and MAST for consequences. The data were clarified by applying descriptive statistics for interpretation of data and inferential statistic to examine the association between independent variables and alcohol consumption by using Chi-Square test. The result revealed that current drinking behavior prevailed at 73.8% among male migrant workers and 41.4% of them were young age between 18 and 25 years. The excessive amount of alcohol consumption than standard drink per occasion was behaved by 58.2% of current drinkers. The types of alcohol beverage that migrant workers preferred most were beer, white spirit and whiskey respectively. Approximate 63.3% of migrant drinkers consumed alcohol more than once a week while 8% of respondents drank white spirit daily. The migrants classified as alcohol-related problematic consequences according to MAST scores were 21.48% of current drinkers. Heavy drinking behavior with consequences were associated with increasing in age, especially in married and divorced marital status, more durable in length of migration and fluent language proficiency. The determine factors for alcohol drinking among migrant workers were mainly for socialization, job condition as regarding the alcohol for amusement and being relaxant for tired condition. The other frequent reasons were to relieve stress, like taste and peer pressure. Most of migrants still lacked of knowledge about the alcoholic health effect on low birth weight in women and HIV. Knowledge and perception upon alcohol were not quite different among current drinkers and non-drinkers. Common quitting characters were health reason and avoidance during Buddhist Lent period. Overall finding reported that hazardous drinking behaviors among cavalier migrant workers realm; should be considered and work-related alcohol reduction intervention should consider for behavior change and other policy like kin-based educational messages delivery system and quit promotion during Buddhist Lent period campaign should establish in the whole country both Thai workers and migrants workers alike especially with language translation if possible. This will be in accordance with universally recommended alcohol reduction strategies but to the extent that there is a missing in the vulnerable migrant groups.