Patterns of binge drinking among adults in urban and rural areas of Pha-An township, Myanmar

Correction: Due to an error in the online publication of this journal, the publication date of this issue was recorded as 2014. The publication date was corrected to 2015 on 3rd September 2015. The date on the cover is correct. Binge alcohol drinking is a dangerous pattern of alcohol consumption that may result in intoxication and death. In Myanmar, no prior study for binge drinking has been conducted. This study aims to assess the alcohol consumption among adults in urban and rural areas of Pha-An Township, the capital city of the Karen state in South East Myanmar. Method: This study was conducted via face-to-face interviews among urban (264) and rural (114) participants. The participants who consume alcohol were assessed for their alcohol drinking patterns by using the Time Line Follow Back (TLFB) method. The collected data was analysed using the Chi-square test. Results: The result indicated that about 60% had previously consumed alcohol, and half of them reported practicing binge drinking. The largest age group of binge drinkers was 25-44. The majority of the participants (over 70%) started alcohol consumption as teens, especially at the age between 15-20 years, and the most common type of alcohol for their first time use was toddy (54.4%). The onset of alcohol consumption, occupations and other substances like smoking and betel chewing, are associated with binge drinking. Conclusion: It is concluded that 17.7% of the total study population have practiced binge drinking and it peaks in the age group of 25-44 years. Recommendation: It is strongly recommended that a more in-depth research is carried out regarding binge drinking. International Journal of Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders 2015;1(3-4):119-13