Forouzan Ganji - Department of Community Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Ali Ahmadi - Department of Epidemiology, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Salehe Zare - Department of Social Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Jafar Nasiri - Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

Background and aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of alcohol consumption and its related factors in the patients referring to hospitals.   Methods: A hospital-based case control study was carried out in Shahrekord during ۲۰۱۶-۲۰۱۷. A total of ۱۵۰ individuals who had self-report of alcohol consumption and history of alcoholism entered into the case group based on the convenience sampling method. Likewise, ۳۰۰ individuals who did not have self-report of alcohol consumption entered into the control group. Group matching was performed based on the date of admission to the hospital, type of disease, complications, and duration of the disease. This study explored the pattern of alcohol consumption variables, spiritual health, quality of life, and general health. Odds ratios (ORs) with a ۹۵% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as well.   Results: The causes of onset of alcohol consumption were curiosity (۴۱.۴۰%), social class and imitation of others (۱۷.۴۰%), and life problems (۱۵.۳۰%). Further, the causes of continued alcohol consumption were attributed to the interest in taste and smelling (۲۳.۳۰%), emotional problems (۲۰%), as well as loneliness feeling and life problems (۱۲.۶۰%). The mean of general health scores in the case and control groups were ۲۹.۸± ۵ and ۲۹.۳± ۴, respectively (P = ۰.۲۹۶). The mean of the quality of life in the case group and control group were ۳۲.۱۳± ۷ and ۳۲.۱۱± ۵, respectively (P = ۰.۹۸). The differences in the scores of spiritual health in two groups were not statistically significant (P = ۰.۹۶).   Conclusion: An attempt should be made to improve the strategies to satisfy the emotional sense and health recreations of society.

Alcoholic beverages, Alcohol Abuse, Offenses, Alcoholism, Case Control Study