Background: Alcohol use is linked to a variety of ailments and accidents, including cardiovascular conditions, malignancies, neurological and mental illnesses, as well as accidents involving transportation. Alcohol is a significant contributor to the entire global burden of illness, accounting for 4% of all fatalities and 4-5% of all years of life with a handicap. The present study aims to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of adults towards alcohol consumption in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia, with a total of 584 participating adults. The data were collected using a questionnaire from various settings in community centers.
Results: The majority of the participants demonstrated good knowledge about the potential health risks associated with alcohol consumption, with a percentage of 95.8%. Among the participants, only 7.3% reported consuming alcohol, and male participants showed a significantly higher frequency of alcohol consumption than females. Employed participants also exhibited a significantly higher frequency of consuming alcohol than others (p < 0.001). The majority of the participants showed good knowledge about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption. Smoking showed a highly significant correlation with alcohol consumption (r = 0.425 and p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Among the participants, 65.6% revealed that the consumption of alcohol is associated with increased crime rates, domestic violence, and the disruption of family dynamics. Among those who were consuming alcohol, personal enjoyment was the major reason. Only 20.9% of the participants showed awareness of resources or support services available in Tabuk City for individuals struggling with alcohol-related issues.
Key words: knowledge, smoking, alcohol, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk
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