Abstract
This chapter assessed prevalence of alcohol consumption and alcohol addiction in Africa using Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data from 19 countries. It made a case for alcohol addiction based on number of days spent consuming alcohol as it has been suggested that there is a linear relationship between dependence on alcohol and the mean number of drinks consumed per day, in the past 12 months. The chapter observed high prevalence of alcohol consumption in Rwanda (76%), Madagascar, Uganda and Lesotho (54%). There were highest rates of addiction in Ethiopia (30%) and Rwanda (17.4%) and lowest in Madagascar (0.3%). The overall presentation is that Africa faces a major challenge with growing burden of alcohol consumption, and lack of effective implementation of policy hinders the fight against alcoholism.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Acuda, W., et al. 2011. The Epidemiology of Addiction in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Synthesis of Reports, Reviews, and Original Articles. The American Journal on Addictions 20: 87–99.
American Psychiatric Association. 2013. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington: American Psychiatric Association.
Bakke, O., and D. Endal. 2010. Vested Interests in Addiction Research and Policy Alcohol Policies Out of Context: Drinks Industry Supplanting Government Role in Alcohol Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Addiction 105: 22–28.
Chartier, K.G., N.S. Thomas, and K.S. Kendler. 2017. Interrelationship Between Family History of Alcoholism and Generational Status in the Prediction of Alcohol Dependence in US Hispanics. Psychological Medicine 47: 137–147.
Ferreira-Borges, C., et al. 2013. Reduction of the Harmful Use of Alcohol: a Strategy for the WHO African Region. African Health Monitor 16: 31–35.
———. 2015. Alcohol Control Policies in 46 African Countries: Opportunities for Improvement. Alcohol 50: 470–476.
Ferreira-Borges, C., C.D. Parry, and T.F. Babor. 2017. Harmful Use of Alcohol: A Shadow over Sub-Saharan Africa in Need of Workable Solutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14.
Francis, J.M., et al. 2014. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Prevalence of Alcohol Use Among Young People in Eastern Africa. Tropical Medicine & International Health 19: 476–488.
Gore, F.M., et al. 2011. Global Burden of Disease in Young People Aged 10–24 Years: A Systematic Analysis. Lancet 377: 2093–2102.
Gureje, O. 2009. Alcohol Problems and Responses: Challenges for Africa. Journal of Substance Use 5: 56–61.
Heilig, M., et al. 2011. Pharmacogenetic Approaches to the Treatment of Alcohol Addiction. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 12: 670–684.
Hoel, E., et al. 2014. Context and Consequences of Liquor Sachets Use Among Young People in Malawi. African Journal of Drug & Alcohol Studies 13 (2): 97–106.
Kabwama, S.N., et al. 2016. Alcohol Use Among Adults in Uganda: Findings From the Countrywide Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factor Cross-Sectional Survey. Global Health Action 9: 31302.
Lasebikan, V.O., and B.A. Ola. 2016. Prevalence and Correlates of Alcohol Use among a Sample of Nigerian Semirural Community Dwellers in Nigeria. Journal of Addiction 2016: 2831594.
Lim, S.S., et al. 2012. A Comparative Risk Assessment of Burden of Disease and Injury Attributable to 67 Risk Factors and Risk Factor Clusters in 21 Regions, 1990–2010: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet 380: 2224–2260.
Mallick, L., and S. Assaf. 2015. An Inventory of Alcohol-Related Questions in the Demographic and Health Surveys and an Analysis of Alcohol Use and Unsafe Sex in sub-Saharan Africa. DHS Analytical Studies No. 53. Maryland: ICF International.
Morojele, N.K., J.S. Brook, and D.W. Brook. 2016. Tobacco and Alcohol Use Among Adolescents in South Africa: Shared and Unshared Risks. Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 28: 139–152.
Parry, C.D., et al. 2002. Alcohol Use in South Africa: Findings From the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug use (SACENDU) Project. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 63: 430–435.
Peltzer, K., A. Davids, and P. Njuho. 2011. Alcohol Use and Problem Drinking in South Africa: Findings From a National Population-Based Survey. African Journal of Psychiatry 14: 30–37.
Rehm, J. 2011. The Risks Associated with Alcohol Use and Alcoholism. Alcohol Research & Health 34: 135–143.
Rehm, J., et al. 2009. Global Burden of Disease and Injury and Economic Cost Attributable to Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Use Disorders. Lancet 373: 2223–2233.
Shield, K.D., et al. 2013. Global Alcohol Exposure Estimates by Country, Territory and Region for 2005: A Contribution to the Comparative Risk Assessment for the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study. Addiction 108: 912–922.
World Health Organisation. 2014. Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Milanzi, E.B., Ndasauka, Y. (2019). Prevalence of Alcohol Addiction in Africa. In: Ndasauka, Y., Kayange, G. (eds) Addiction in South and East Africa . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13593-5_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13593-5_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-13592-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-13593-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)