Background: The prevalence related to alcohol use disorders in adults is 1.7%. It varies around the world. In Tunisia, as in most Arab and Muslim countries, alcohol consumption is still a taboo and little studied.
Aims: To estimate the prevalence of alcohol abuse and dependence Band to assess associated socio-demographic factors in primary care patients in Sousse governorate.
Method: It's a descriptive study carried out between June and November 2006. The sample included 30 primary care units in Sousse governorate, chosen by a stratified random method. We used the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) translated and validated in Tunisian dialect.
Results: Our sample included 2577 participants. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse and during the last 12 months were 2.8% and 1%. Those of alcohol dependence were respectively 0.7% and 0.3%. Only one case of alcohol abuse was found among women and no cases of dependence have been noticed. For men's, the prevalence of alcohol abuse at the lifetime and during the last 12 months were 12.8 % and 4.5 %. For men's alcohol dependence, prevalence rates were 3% and 1.6 %. Associated factors with abuse or alcohol dependence were studied in men's sample (n=560). Alcohol abuse was more common after multivariate logistic regression in the age group betwen18 and 34 years and in those with a diploma. Alcohol dependence was associated with only high level of education.
Conclusion: Our study provides further evidence that alcohol abuse and dependence in primary care remain low compared to other international studies and highlights the role of primary care physicians in the screening of these health problems especially among men.