Drinking Problems of Hepatitis B Virus Healthy Carriers in Korean Population

BACKGROUND: Heavy drinking may be a cause of serious health problems in hepatitis B virus carriers. The aim of this study was to reveal the degree of drinking problems in the Korean hepatitis B virus healthy carriers. METHODS: The subjects were 218 hepatitis B virus healthy carriers (124 males and 94 females) recruited from those who visited the Health Promotion Center of Chungnam National University Hospital for a general health check-up. Drinking problems of the subjects were evaluated by the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire. RESULTS: The AUDIT scores (mean+/-SD) of the male subjects (9.6+/-7.9) were significantly (P <0.001) higher than those of the female subjects (2.7+/-5.2). The individuals with heavy drinking (more than 14 drinks in males and 7 drinks in females per week) are 24 (19.4%) in males and 5 (5.3%) in females. Alcohol use disorders were suspected in 36 (29.0%) males and 4 (4.3%) females. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that, in Korea, clinical attention in primary health care should be focused on reducing the alcohol consumption among the hepatitis B virus carriers, considering a large proportion have drinking problems and the possible harmful effect on their health by heavy drinking.

The Pattern of Self Reported Assessment(Alcohol Use Inventory and Michigan Alcohol Screening Test) according to Receptive and Awareness of Drinking Problem and the Relation to the Alcoholic Type / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This Study was designed to investigate the pattern of AUI(Alcohol Use Inventory) and MAST(Michigan Alcohol Screening Test) according to the awareness of drinking problem and receptiveness to treatment, and to know whether the type(type1 and type 2 according to Barbor's typology) has effects on the RECPAWAR(acknowledgement and awareness of use problem and receptive to treatment of these problem) score. METHODS: Subjects were 134 alcoholic patients from Alcoholic treatment ward. They were requested to fill up the questionnaires of Korean version of AUI and MAST(MAST for patient and MAST for caretaker). At first, based on the RECPAWAR, they divided into high RECPAWAR group(above 30 percentile) and low RECPAWAR group(below 30 percentile). According to typology, they divided into type 1 and type 2. The data was analyzed by T-test, Correlation, and Regression Analysis. RESULTS: 1) Significant negative correlation was observed between RECPAWAR score and MAST difference score(patient's MAST-caretaker's MAST). 2) High RECPAWAR group had significantly higher scores in the most scales than low RECP-AWAR group, except ENHANCED scale in AUI. 3) There was not significant difference on RECPAWAR score between type 1 and type 2. CONCLUSION: Except ENHANCED scale, the high RECPAWAR group had higher score in the second level scale. As compared with the low RECPAWAR group, the high RECPAWAR group responds more negative in drinking, and is more anxious about their drinking problems. So, they seem to have the objective view about their drinking problems. However the type was not related to receptive and awareness of drinking problem.