Publication:

Alcoholic beverage preference and in person with alcohol dependence: southern Tamil Nadu

Background Very little is known about the types of alcoholic beverages and the relationship between beverage preference and possibility of developing alcohol dependence. The aim of this study was to determine the type of alcoholic beverages consumed by alcohol abusers who have been diagnosed for alcohol dependence and their relationship to the pattern of drinking.

Methods The study was performed on all clients visiting the psychiatric outpatient clinics of M.S. Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation, and Ahana Hospitals, Madurai, Tamil Nadu which comprises of mixed socioeconomic class. Subjects were screened for alcohol dependence using Alcohol use disorder questionnaire (AUDIT)” and validated with DSM IVTR criteria for alcohol dependence and their pattern of drinking. Study was limited to male subjects visiting these centres whose ages were between 18 to 60 years.

Results Among all types of beverages, brandy (64.28%) was the most commonly used beverage, followed by whisky (19.31%) and rum (7.14%), vodka (4.23%) or beer (3.96%) and with a very low affinity for wine (1.05%). Brandy appeared to be the most preferred alcoholic beverage in subjects who are alcohol dependent.

Conclusions Despite its ease of availability and affordability of brandy, there exists an increased preference in choice associated with risk taking behavioural pattern of drinking; further biological studies may be helpful to understand physiological mechanism of creating dependence.