title: Prevalence of alcohol-related problems among the Slavs and Arabs in Belarus: a university survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol abuse is a major problem among students in Belarus. Alcohol-related problems might vary among students of different cultural backgrounds.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the different patterns in alcohol use and related problems among students of different cultural groups--the Slavs and Arabs, in major Belarusian universities.
  
  
  METHODS
  1465 university students (1345 Slavs and 120 Arabs) from three major universities in Minsk, Belarus, were administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Cut, Annoyed, Guilty and Eye questionnaire, and the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, including other alcohol-related questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 91.08% (n = 1225) Slavs and 60.83% (n = 73) Arabs were alcohol users. A total of 16.28% (n = 219) Slavs and 32.50% (n = 39) Arabs were identified as problem drinkers. Different patterns of alcohol use and related problems were characterized for the Slavs and Arabs. The level of alcohol-related problems was higher among the Arabs, compared to the Slavs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in the pattern of alcohol use and related problems exist among the students of various cultural groups--the Slavs and Arabs in Minsk, Belarus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first empirical study to investigate the prevalence of alcohol use and related problems among the Arab and Slav students in Belarus.
authors: Department of Normal Physiology, Belarusian State Medical University, Minsk, Belarus. menimed1@yahoo.com
authors: Menizibeya O
authors: MO
authors: Welcome
authors: Yury E
authors: YE
authors: Razvodovsky
authors: Vladimir A
authors: VA
authors: Pereverzev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D002094:Republic of Belarus / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult