Influence of religious affiliation in alcohol use among adolescents in Trinidad, Tobago, and St. Lucia: a follow-up study

The clinical course of alcoholism in Trinidad and Tobago

OBJECTIVE

The clinical course of alcoholism has been described as a series of distinct, alcohol-related life events that occur in an orderly sequence. However, whether that sequence differs, depending on ethnicity and country of origin, is less clear. The purposes of this study were to investigate the sequence and progression of alcohol-related life events in individuals of East Indian (Indo) and African (Afro) heritage on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and compare those results with data reported previously by the Collaborative study for the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA).

METHOD

Participants who were alcohol dependent (based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised, criteria) and of Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian ancestry or Indo-Trinidadian ancestry were recruited from inpatient treatment facilities. A total of 148 alcohol-dependent men and women completed the Semi-Structured Assessment of the Genetics of Alcoholism, which assessed the physical, psychological, and social manifestations of alcohol dependence and other psychiatric disorders.

RESULTS

A high degree of similarity in the sequence of alcohol-related life events was found between Indo-Trinidadian, Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian, and COGA participants. However, Trinidadian and Tobagonian alcoholics were more likely to endorse severe alcohol drinking in the form of binges (2 or more days of intoxication), blackouts, withdrawal, and medical consequences; however, they were less likely to endorse aggressive acts associated with drinking. Progression to alcohol dependence was significantly slower in Trinidadian and Tobagonian alcoholics than in the U.S. population of alcoholics, but severe alcohol symptoms were more commonly endorsed in Trinidadian and Tobagonians.

CONCLUSIONS

Identifying ethnic and country of origin differences in the clinical course of alcohol dependence may assist in the development of culturally sensitive intervention and prevention programs.

The role of religiosity in influencing adolescent and adult alcohol use in Trinidad

This study examined the role of religiosity among adolescents' and adults' alcohol use in Trinidad. A stratified random sample design of 369 adolescents and 210 adult parents belonging to the various religious groups in Trinidad was employed. Participants were randomly selected from various educational districts across Trinidad. Adolescent respondents completed a demographic questionnaire and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-A2 (SASSI-A2). Adult participants completed a similar demographic questionnaire and questions taken from the SASSI-A2 that related to alcohol use. MANOVA analyses revealed significant main effects for adolescents' and adults' alcohol use as it relates to religious affiliation and frequency of religious service attendance. It is hoped that these findings will assist health educators in the formulation of intervention programs in Trinidad.