In Goa's sole medical college women booze more than men

Panaji: Women at Goa's only medical college apparently consume more alcohol than men, a recent study claims. Terming the general pattern of alcohol consumption among the institute's students a 'cause of concern,' the study advocates a counselling mechanism to deal with stress related to studies and negotiating peer pressure.

The study, authored by Yash Jairam Verenkar and Frederick Satiro Vaz, also states that while male students at Asia's third oldest medical college, the Goa Medical College and Hospital, preferred beer and whisky, women preferred wine and other light alcoholic drinks.

"Total prevalence of alcohol consumption was found to be 39.4 per cent. Prevalence among females was higher (40.6 per cent) compared to males (38 per cent). Among the alcohol consumers, 82.3 per cent were light drinkers, while 17.7 per cent were identified as heavy drinkers," states the study which was published in the July edition of the International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health.

"Higher prevalence among female students in our study is a contrast to other studies. However, it was found that most of the females (86.5 per cent) were light drinkers," it says.

Twenty per cent of the alcohol consuming students at the medical college showed signs of alcohol dependence, says the study, which used the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), a tool developed by the World Health Organisation to asses alcohol consumption, drinking behaviour, and alcohol-related problems.

The study, which involved interviewing 350 students, half the number of students enrolled at the Goa Medical College, said that Christian students showed a higher tendency for alcohol consumption, along with those students who hail from urban areas or live in hostels.

"As far as other socio-demographic factors were concerned, alcohol consumption was higher among Christian students (48.1 per cent), students from urban areas (43.8 per cent), students living in hostels (58.8 per cent) and those in highest economic scale (40.4 per cent)" the study states.

"Higher consumption among students coming from urban areas could be due to adoption of a more Western or cosmopolitan way of life. Those in higher socio-economic class could have greater opportunities to consume alcohol in terms of affordability, partying and clubbing habits, etc.," the study also states, adding that higher consumption in hostel students could be explained by lack of parental control and a sense of freedom.

The study also claims there is a linkage between alcohol consumption in students and drinking at their homes.

They also said that one of their findings - that 17.7 per cent students were classified as heavy drinkers - is comparable to other similar studies in India, but added that the 'proportion of hazardous alcohol consumption and binge drinking were also higher, which is a cause for concern".

In February this year, chief minister Manohar Parrikar had expressed concern about girls drinking beer.

"I have begun to fear now, because even the girls have started drinking beer. So the barrier of tolerance limit is being crossed. Not all of them," he had said. The comments had stirred controversy, even inspiring a hashtag #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer on social media.